Montgomery Whitewater Park to Host 2024 Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross Olympic Team Trials
The American Canoe Association has selected Montgomery Whitewater Park in Alabama to host the first of two selection events for the 2024 Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross Olympic Team Trials on April 13-14.
Montgomery Whitewater Park opened in July 2023 and hosted the American Canoe Association age group national championships in canoe slalom and kayak cross. The facility is the newest of three Olympic-caliber pumped whitewater courses in America capable of hosting international events. Riversport OKC in Oklahoma City will host the other Trials qualifier for kayak cross and canoe slalom from April 26-28.
“We are honored to host the 2024 Canoe Slalom And Kayak Cross Olympic Team Trials and look forward to welcoming these elite paddlers and coaches to experience our state-of-the-art park,” said Dave Hepp, chief executive officer of the park. “We also invite the region to come out and be inspired by these amazing athletes to get out on the water and try paddling for themselves.”
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. Kayak Cross is the latest addition to the Olympic Program and will debut in Paris. This event puts four kayakers in a head-to-head format, racing down a section of whitewater while negotiating several inflatable gates.
“Montgomery had a vision to provide unique outdoor opportunities to its community and the Montgomery Whitewater Park is the realization of this vision,” said Beth Spilman, executive director for the American Canoe Association. “They have embraced our sport and we are beyond thrilled to be able to bring the Olympic Trials there.”
Chris Ramsey will retire as chief executive officer at USA Water Polo following the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris, the national governing body announced on Wednesday.
Ramsey has been with the NGB for 17 years and is one of the longest-tenured leaders in the U.S. Olympic movement since the Amateur Sports Act was passed in 1978.
“Leading USA Water Polo has been a privilege,” said Ramsey. “The successes of USA Water Polo are a testament to the work and commitment of our athletes, coaches, officials, staff and board of directors, as well as our community of parents and volunteers. Our members are passionate about our sport and I am bullish on water polo’s prospects under the next generation of leadership, especially with the LA Olympic Games coming in 2028.”
The USA women’s national team has dominated the global stage with three consecutive Olympic gold medals and five world championships. The men’s team achieved historic success, winning an Olympic silver in 2008. Both U.S. National Teams have seen success in recent years in the Water Polo World Cup as well, which USA Water Polo hosted this year. The U.S. women won their fourth straight and fifth overall title after defeating the Netherlands in the final. The U.S. men finished in fourth place this year after silver medals in 2020 and 2022.
“Chris’s dedication and visionary leadership have been instrumental in elevating USA Water Polo to new heights,” said Bill Smith, USA Water Polo board chairman. “His commitment to excellence has been nothing short of inspirational. We are profoundly grateful for his years of service and the legacy he leaves behind.”
USA Water Polo membership now totals nearly 50,000, doubling participation in the past decade. Financially, the organization has increased revenue to $16 million in 2022 from under $4 million in 2006. Ramsey was central to expanding the success of the National Junior Olympics, now the world’s largest water polo tournament, and in launching the USAWP Olympic Development Program, helping grow it from 300 participants in 2009 to more than 6000 in 2023.