Montgomery, Ala. – April 16, 2024 – Just nine months since opening, Montgomery Whitewater Park welcomed 60 of the world’s top whitewater athletes for the 2024 Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross Olympic Team Trials on April 13-14. Twenty-year-old paddling phenom Evy Leibfarth clinched a spot on the U.S. team by winning the Women’s C1 race on the new park’s cutting-edge course, guaranteeing a trip to Paris for her second Olympic games. The event represented the fulfilment of a significant part of the vision behind Alabama’s new, world-class outdoor lifestyle destination.
“This weekend we saw years of planning and hard work by so many come to fruition as the Montgomery Whitewater Park demonstrated its appeal and ability to host internationally significant events such as Olympic trials,” said Montgomery Whitewater Park CEO Dave Hepp. “It was thrilling to see thousands discovering the thrill of whitewater sports while enjoying a few hours of connection with each other and enjoying the outdoors.”
The event brought in around 4,500 attendees, engaged around 40 volunteers from businesses and community groups each day and delivered an estimated economic impact of $1.5 Million for the Montgomery area. It was also livestreamed on the Peacock app where the replay is available at https://www.peacocktv.com/sports.
“The American Canoe Association is thrilled with the support we received from Montgomery Whitewater and the greater Montgomery community this weekend,” said Beth Spillman, American Canoe Association (ACA) executive director. “Their event management was flawless, and our athletes have never felt so welcomed and appreciated. We can’t wait to come back to Montgomery!”
In March of this year, the park hosted the U.S. Open Whitewater Championships in partnership with the Nantahala Racing Club and previously hosted the ACA’s Age Group National Championships in Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross. The facility is the newest and most advanced of only three Olympic-caliber pumped whitewater courses in America capable of hosting the highest-level international events as well as offering recreational kayaking, canoeing, rafting and instruction.
On May 11, Montgomery Whitewater Park will host the All Forward Festival which includes a corporate raft race and live music, and the weekly Get Down Concert Series continues through May 4, featuring nationally touring bands each Saturday at 5 p.m. Details on events, rafting schedules and paddling instruction are available at montgomerywhitewater.com.
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About Montgomery Whitewater Park
Montgomery Whitewater Park is a 120-acre state-of-the-art recirculating whitewater park and outdoor adventure center located off I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama offering a variety of outdoor lifestyle activities both in and out of the water for all ages and skill levels. Developed and operated by Southern Whitewater Design Group for the Montgomery County Community Cooperative Group, this park was conceived and developed as a large-scale public-private investment to catalyze economic growth and provide health-focused recreation and employment opportunities. More information is available at montgomerywhitewater.com.
About Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross
Canoe slalom is contested by two types of boat, canoes and kayaks. In canoe, a single-blade paddle is used by an athlete who is kneeling in their boat. In contrast, kayakers use a double-bladed paddle and are sitting. Canoe and kayak competitions are timed events where competitors navigate a whitewater course by passing through a combination of gates. Upstream gates are designated by the color red and downstream are green. Time penalties can be incurred for touching a gate (two seconds) and missing a gate (50 seconds).
Kayak Cross is the latest addition to the Olympic Program and will debut in Paris. This exciting new Olympic event puts four kayakers in a head-to-head format, racing down a section of whitewater while negotiating several inflatable gates. The race starts with four kayaks on a ramp above the river. After launching 10 feet into the river, the athletes paddle around a series of red and green inflatable “gates” and complete a full kayak roll under a “roll zone” marker; the first boat to cross the finish line wins.
Photo Credit: Montgomery Whitewater Park
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