The American Canoe Association announced that Olympic trials for the Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross events will take place at Montgomery’s new Whitewater Park for American athletes looking to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The dates of the trials are set for April 13th and 14th, with an exact schedule to be released later.
The park, described as 120 acres of “state-of-the-art recirculating whitewater park and outdoor adventure center” is located off I-65 in Montgomery.
According to the official website, the park boasts an Olympic-standard recirculating whitewater channel, utilizing the world’s most advanced whitewater technology for paddlesports athletes and competitions.
Kayak Cross, which is a new event in the Olympics, puts four kayakers head to head racing down a section of whitewater while going around gates. Canoe Slalom is described as similar to skiing, with athletes guiding boats around gates but is timed rather than head to head.
Governor Kay Ivey celebrated the magnetism Alabama has for impressive events like this.
“Successes like this remind us of our ability to achieve world-class excellence, marking yet another pioneering first and fostering an impact that will ripple across our state’s economy and tourism sector. To the athletes and fans converging from across the globe, I’m proud to welcome you to our great state this spring.”
Both events should be extremely exciting to watch take place, and the capital city of Montgomery will have the opportunity to host some future United States Olympians.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
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