U.S. National Whitewater Center Earns Olympic Training Site status
Charlotte, N.C. — The U.S. National Whitewater Center was named an official Olympic Training Site by the U.S. Olympic Committee today and USA Canoe and Kayak also designated the site as the Official Home of its senior national team.
In an official flag-raising ceremony, Norman Bellingham, Chief Operating Officer of the USOC and a 1988 Olympic gold medal winner in flatwater kayak, announced the site designation.
“The U.S. Olympic Committee looks forward to expanding opportunities for athletes to participate in Olympic and Paralympic programs through this partnership with the U.S. National Whitewater Center and USA Canoe Kayak, “ Bellingham said of the new whitewater site. “This great facility will provide an additional elite training environment that will positively impact athlete performance.”
The Charlotte Regional Sports Commission announced its commitment to be an Official National Elite Team Sponsor of the slalom program through 2009 that will enable the U.S. National Whitewater Center to provide year-round water time for U.S. athletes as they prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and beyond.
The agreement was announced by Jeff Beaver, Executive Director of the Charlotte Regional Sports Commission. “Charlotte has a rich tradition of supporting amateur sports, “Beaver said of the area, “and we are thrilled to do our part to help our U.S. Team prepare for Beijing and beyond…”
More than 20 athletes and coaches have relocated to the Charlotte area to take advantage of these opportunities at the USNWC.
The first competition of the new site will be April 27-29, to select the senior national slalom team that will represent the U.S. in the International Canoe Federation World Cup series in Europe this season.
Based on their performance in the World Cups, a team will be selected to participate in the 2007 World Championships in Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, Sept. 19-23. These world championships will be the qualifying event where countries can earn positions in the 2008 Olympic Games. Each country will be allowed one boat in each of the four Olympic events:
Men’s single kayak (K-1)
Women’s single kayak (K-1W)
Men’s single canoe (C-l)
Men’s double canoe (C-2)