The Los Angeles Games won't just take place around Los Angeles. More than 2.000 kilometers from the City of Angels, Oklahoma City will also have its share of the action with two sports: softball and canoe/kayak (slalom and cross-country). The Olympic atmosphere will already be palpable in the coming days, from July 20 to 25, at the whitewater stadium, host of the World Championships.
A brand new, beautiful course
More than 400 athletes from around sixty nations will be represented at this key event on the road to the 2028 Olympics. They will be able to gain valuable experience at the Olympic venue. This is all the more important because the route has been redone Over the past few months, the obstacle system has been replaced, and a kayak cross ramp has been installed. Modernizing the barriers will allow for a more flexible approach"We are told by Richard Fox, president of the ICF slalom commission. Ultimately, we will have a course that can be adapted for Olympic-level competitions, but also for recreational needs. This is essential for the centre's appeal. »
« What makes our site unique is that we're located right in the city center, making it easily accessible on foot. This will bring a lot of energy to the event.Mike Knopp, chairman of the organizing committee, explained a few months ago. We look forward to welcoming people who are coming to Oklahoma for the first time. We want to make these World Championships as big an event as possible, as a first step towards the Olympic Games. »
A legacy for the entire American continent
This edition marks the event's return to North America for the first time since 2014, when Deep Creek Lake (Maryland) hosted the World Championships. With the Games on the horizon, Richard Fox sees exciting prospects for canoe-kayak: One of the challenges of our sport is the need to travel with equipment, which is very expensive. Creating a hub to attract people from across the Americas and provide good training facilities is a legacy. Montgomery, Alabama, invested in a whitewater stadium, which opened just over a year ago. Having two locations on the same continent makes it possible to plan consecutive events. "The Charlotte (North Carolina) whitewater stadium can also be placed in this category and offer an interesting drop-off point."
« In the United States, we have more recreational paddlers than anywhere else., Mike Knopp points outWe are making considerable efforts to try to create a link between amateur athletes and the supporters of our Olympic athletes. We believe that the World Championships are a good step in this direction. "The temperature already rose at the end of March with three days of competition as part of the ICF World Ranking circuit. Now, it's up to the World Championships to keep the flame alive."
