Olympic athletes will face the test of rock and water in the men's K1 single kayak, men's C1 single canoe, men's C2 double canoe and women's K1 single kayak. Elite paddlers had a chance to test the course at the 1995 Ocoee Slalom Challenge last fall. The course is approximately 415m long with a gradient of approximately 9m and a water flow of 1200 1600 cubic feet per second (34 35 cubic meters per second).
The 1996 Olympic Games will be the third time slalom canoe/kayak has been included in the Olympic Programme it was also held in 1972 and 1992 and the first time it will take place at a natural site. Nevertheless, it is appropriate to hold slalom races in the 1996 Games, not only because organizers have access to a world-class course, but because an estimated 19 million Americans participate in whitewater canoeing or kayaking each year. This sport displays the grit, motivation and dedication of some of the world's true amateur athletes.
When you're watching the paddlers maneuver through the course, see if you can spot the 14 artificial rock features in the channel or the 45,000 tons of boulders used to reshape the banks. The Ocoee Whitewater Center marries the best of the natural and artificial slalom course worlds. Above all, the course was designed to offer a progressive degree of difficulty to the competitor while blending in with the natural environment.
This is an official publication of The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.
Written by Jennifer Knight.
| An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games. |