Raft paddlers from around the world are settling into the Bay of Plenty as they prepare to compete in the 2013 World Rafting Champs.

Held in Kawerau, the event sees 70 teams of six, from 30 countries, train and race from November 13-24 and is expected to bring more than 800 people to the area.

The World Rafting Championships begin in Kawerau on Wednesday.

While the focus of the racing is on the publicly accessible Kawerau River, the paddlers will also race on other rivers about the region; the Kaituna, and Rangitaiki rivers.

This is the first time New Zealand is hosting the event and festival organiser Lee Barton says many international teams are already paddling the courses, trying to catch up with the local knowledge of the New Zealand paddlers.

New Zealand paddlers have previously claimed four world championship titles, two silver medals and a bronze in the last 14 years of the competition.

The first official training day is on Wednesday, when the international teams will be officially welcomed to Kawerau by young people and dignitaries at Tarawera High School.

There will also be a short walk down to the Waterhouse reserve where a karakia will formally welcome competitors before the first training days open.

The four Kawerau schools; Tarawera High School, South School, Pūtauaki School, and Te Whata Tau o Pūtauaki , have adopted nations, and the teams arriving in Kawerau are meeting face-to-face with the students they have previously communicated with via email and video.

Rafting teams from Brazil and the Netherlands have already visited their ‘adopted' schools and talked to students about their training, and the commitment it has taken to get to the world champs.

Pūtauaki School principal Noel Moore says it is fantastic to have the Brazil U23 team take the time out of their busy training schedule to come into the school and meet the students.

'It has made a big difference to the classes and adds a strong sense of realism to everything the students have been studying. Some of the teachers have even been on raft trips down the Tarawera with the Brazilians.”

The championships incorporate three classes; junior 16-21, masters 40+, and open categories.

The Global Water House Festival is being held in conjunction with the championships.

The festival is housed in an inflatable city provided by Funworks, set up in the Waterhouse Street Reserve in Kawerau.

Some of the inflatable structures are more than 15 metres long. The inflatable city includes activities and events for competitors, locals and visitors during the competitions.

A giant LED movie screen, available with funding from the Eastern Bay Energy Trust, will be used to play live footage from all the race day rafting action.

The screen will also be used for a community movie night on November 22. The two movies, ‘Up' and ‘Footrot Flats' will be screened back to back. The evening will be a gold coin donation with all proceeds going to the Dream Chaser Foundation.

The festival will also feature food, stalls, activities, music, and the Adopt a Nation dome, displaying work from Kawerau junior school students.

The festival culminates on Saturday, November 23 with the Open/Masters Slalom racing being the showcase day of racing.

'The city is an amazing attraction and will be incredible fun for kids of all ages,” says Lee.

The raft racing is best watched from Whitewater Kawerau.

Follow the progress of the students and schools on the Kawerau Adopt a Nation Facebook page: www.facebook.com/adoptanation.

For a full calendar of events visit www.kaweraudc.govt.nz/Global or on the IRF 2013 White Water Rafting Championships Facebook page.