Bratislava, Slovakia (September 12, 2019) – Sixteen Canadian sprint paddlers are set to compete at the 2019 Olympic Hopes Regatta at the newly built Zemník venue in Bratislava, Slovakia. The Olympic Hopes Competition is an event focused on young paddlers aged 16 to 17 selected to compete internationally against athletes from over 30 countries.
“The athletes are looking well prepared for the task ahead,” said Men’s Kayak Coach, Reid Farquharson (Rideau Canoe Club). “They appreciate the quality of racing that we’ll see over the weekend, and you can feel the anticipation building.”
Athletes are entered into multiple events to provide the best opportunity to learn about racing at an international level.
“In the last 3 years the Olympic Hopes Regatta has clearly become the best athlete pathway to the International level,” said Mark Granger, CKC National NextGen Athlete Development Officer.
“Our team objectives and goals, even at this early age, is to qualify for the finals. Many of the podium athletes of today are the same podium athletes we have seen at Olympic Hopes. It better prepares our athletes for the Junior World Championships and gives them international experience.”
The Canadian entries are listed below:
| Event | Athlete |
| Men’s Canoe | Andrew Billard |
| Men’s Canoe | Austin Pigeon |
| Men’s Canoe | Keiran Graham |
| Men’s Canoe | Matthew O’Neill |
| Men’s Kayak | Craig Johnson |
| Men’s Kayak | Ian Gaudet |
| Men’s Kayak | Jacob Price |
| Men’s Kayak | Xavier Levasseur |
| Women’s Canoe | Ella Hodgson-Pageau |
| Women’s Canoe | Evie McDonald |
| Women’s Canoe | Kate Pennyfather |
| Women’s Kayak | Angelina Davidson |
| Women’s Kayak | Anna O’Brien |
| Women’s Kayak | Brooke Westwater |
| Women’s Kayak | Cassidy MacPherson |
| Women’s Kayak | Toshka Besharah |
What:
Olympic Hopes Regatta
When:
September 13-15, 2019
Where:
Bratislava, Slovakia – Map
How to Follow:
Event Website
Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing list to get all news and results directly to your email.
About Canoe Kayak Canada
Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
-30-
For more information:
Colleen Coderre
Communications Lead
ccoderre@canoekayak.ca