2025 Canadian Nationals

This is meant to clarify questions related to qualifications for Team Canada for the 2025 calendar year. Please submit any questions or requests for further clarifications through the official email channel at admin@cka-sport.org 

In 2025, the Canadian Kettlebell Alliance is responsible for fielding a team to represent Canada at the following World Championship competitions.  

• International Union of Kettlebell Lifting (IUKL) World Championships;
• World Kettlebell Sport Federation (WKSF) World Championships. 

The CKA has 2 official qualifying competitions for Team Canada in the 2025 calendar year - In Person will be required to qualify for The 2025 Team Canada Roster. 

• Western - April 5 - Armstrong BC
• Eastern - August 2 - Oakville ON

Between these two events Team Canada will be selected. 

Any Athlete that wishes to qualify for Team Canada MUST attend in person, be a CKA member for 2025 and submit the Team Canada application at the Lifters meeting held directly after The Canadian Qualifier Events. 

2024-01-07 IKFM Conutry Representative Change

       The IKMF Country Representative for Canada has changed.  The CKA is providing support but all decisions regarding qulaification to Team Canada are by the IKMF Country Represntative.  For more information, please contact Jennifer Hintenberger jenniferhintenberger@gmail.com. 

2023-08-08   IKMF Requirements for Qualification to Team Canada 

1. If an athlete puts the kettlebell down before the time is over, they receive a score of zero (0) and are disqualified, 
2. The athlete must make National Rank on the IKMF rank table,
3. After an athlete has qualified in person at an eligible event, they can submit a video using a heavier kettlebell weight to qualify to lift that kettlebell weight at the IKMF world competition, and
4. Veteran athletes who become 60 years old in the same year as the competition must make the national rank number of reps for the lowest weight on the table but can do so with a lower weight. 

2023-06-04 To reduce barriers for qualification to the national team, the CKA has a mutual agreement with American Kettlebell Lifter Union (AKLU) for WKSF events and United States Kettlebell Soprt Lifting (USKSL) for IUKL events.  The agreement allows athletes from one country to qualify for their national team while competing at a national qualifier for the other country acording to all of the following conditions:

1. The competitor must notify both countries of their intention to qualify for their events prior to registration and have approval of both head organizations,
2. The competitor must submit a full length video of their lift to their country's head organization in charge of team qualifications, and
3. The competitor must meet all the other normal qualifications that are required to become a member of their own country's team.

Please note: all weight categories and bell weights listed in the following tables are reflective of standards and regulations from the separate international organizations. All information is based on what has been provided as of January 2023 to the Canadian Kettlebell Alliance and may be subject to change.

A. Team Canada Criteria for Professional/Elite Lifters

The WKSF allows two (2) Professionals per weight category, per event, from each country to compete in their World Championships. The IUKL allows one (1) Professional per weight category, per event, from each country to compete in their World  Championships. 

In order to send the most competitive team possible for travel overseas, the CKA wishes to select athletes that can demonstrate professional-level proficiency in lifting. With this in mind, the CKA will consider the Professional athletes for Team Canada who meet the following mandatory criteria, in the following order: 

1. Athlete wins their category at Canadian Nationals* (WKSF and IUKL), 
2. Athlete places 2nd in their category at Canadian Nationals* (WKSF only), 
3. Athlete’s Canadian Nationals competition score is at least 75% of CKA rank of Master of Sport OR the athlete already holds an AKA Rank of Master of  Sport. 

*Canadian Nationals will be a combined score of all competitors from the  Eastern and Western Qualifying events.  

B. Team Canada Criteria for Amateur Lifters 

Both the WKSF and IUKL allow an unlimited number of Amateur lifters per weight category, per event, from each country to compete in their World Championships. As a result, the CKA will consider the Amateur athletes for Team Canada who meet the following mandatory criteria: 

1. The Athlete must compete in the event at either Qualifier that they want  to lift at the World Championships. Lifting a heavier bell (i.e.: 28kg for  men; 20kg for women) does not qualify the lifter for an Amateur Lifter spot on Team Canada, if the weight being lifted at Worlds is a 24kg and 16kg,  respectively. Additional criteria used to select Amateur Athletes is listed in the following order: 1.Athlete places Top 3 in their Amateur category at Canadian Nationals*, 
2. Qualifier competition score is at least 85% of Rank 1 category in that event. 

C. Team Canada Criteria for Veteran Lifters

Both the WKSF and IUKL allow an unlimited number of veteran lifters per weight category, per event, from each country to compete in their World Championships. In order for veterans to demonstrate proficiency for overseas representation, the CKA requires  all Veteran lifters to qualify for Team Canada by: 

1. Competing in either the Open or Veteran category at Canadian Nationals*, 
2. Competing with a kettlebell either the same weight or heavier as the one lifted at a World Competition.

D. Other Related Information: 

1. Team Canada will be selected by the CKA Board, 
2. All expenses of travel, accommodations, visas, covid testing and any other required documents for travel will be at the expense of the Athlete, 
3. The CKA Board will take care of the collection and organization of the  registration of Team Canada for all Athletes. No team member should  contact the IKMF, IUKL or WKSF directly, this communication will be done by CKA  Board Members only, 
4. Fundraising for Athlete travel and uniform is permitted by the CKA, via forums such  as Go Fund Me, etc., 
5. It is the responsibility to make the bodyweight that the Athlete wishes to compete in at the World Championships when competing at the Eastern or Western  Qualifier. It is important for each Athlete to understand that the weight category  that they qualified in is the ONLY weight category they will be qualified to compete in  at the World Championships. If an Athlete is UNDER or OVER the registered weight  during weigh-ins at either World Championship, this will result in a disqualification, 
6. Upon selection to Team Canada, the CKA will provide the Athlete a Code of Conduct Contract that each Athlete is responsible to sign should they wish to represent Team Canada. Failure to adhere to the Code of Conduct during travel overseas may preclude the Athlete from future Team Canada selection. 
7. Depending on host countries visa requirement, we may require anyone looking to qualify for the World Championships to provide a high definition  colour copy of their passport no later than April 30th, 2025 to the CKA  Board. These will be forwarded for all qualifying and interested Athletes to  hopefully ensure enough time to get approval. 
8. The Team Canada Uniform is mandatory. The cost of the uniform is the responsibility of the Team Canada Athlete and will be available for purchase through CKA here.  The uniform is a CKA Team Canada black short sleeve shirt or tank top and approporate length black shorts.  The entire uniform must be neat and presentable, e.g., free from rips/tears/fading/etc..   
9.  It is the responsibility of each athlete to be aware of and comply with anti-doping policies of the applicable International Organization governing the event in which the athlete is intending to complete. IUKL WKSF
10. Exceptional Circumstances - CKA Board may temporarily appoint members of Team Canada on a case by case basis according to merit.  To qualify, a majority of the CKA Board must agree to all of the following:
    1. the athlete intended to attend the CKA Nation Qualifier in person;
    2. the athlete made all reasonable efforts to attend in person;
    3. the athlete may be requested to provide a video submission or equivalent to demonstrate preparedness;
    4. the athlete has routinely demonstrated a high level of performance; and
    5. the athlete has routinely demonstrated behavior in alignment with CKA core values. 

E. Covid Pandemic Information:.

it is the Athletes responsibility to know: 

1. ALL requirements, rules and regulations of the host country where the World              Championships will be held regarding Covid, 
2. ALL testing requirements and isolation procedures of the host country where the World Championships will be held, 
3. ALL return requirements with regards to testing, as well as emergency plans in case a positive test requires the Athlete to isolate in the host country, 
4. ALL costs associated with covid procedures, travel requirements, testing  or isolation associated costs, whether within Canada or abroad will be the  full responsibility of the Athlete, 

GOOD LUCK!