DARTMOUTH, NS (January 8, 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada and the Atlantic Division CanoeKayak Canada are proud to announce that Lake Banook will host the 2018 Pan American Canoe Sprint Championships in September.

“CKC is delighted to be hosting the 2018 Pan Am Sprint Championship in Dartmouth which serves as the 2019 Pan American Games qualification regatta. With a world class venue and top level organizers we are confident that this will be an exceptional event,” said Casey Wade, CEO of Canoe Kayak Canada.

The Atlantic Division of CanoeKayak Canada (ADCKC) learned earlier this week that the Dartmouth race course had been chosen to host the prestigious international event. About 250 athletes representing 20 countries, and an additional 120 national team support staff, are expected to participate in the championship that will take place from September 13th to 16th.  The event will also serve as a Paracanoe championship and a Pan American Games qualifier.

“The Atlantic Divicion Canoe Kayak Canada (ADCKC) has proven it’s ability to host world-class events that exceed all expectations,” said Joao Tomasini Schwertner, President of the Pan American Canoe Federation (COPAC). “We are very excited to have the opportunity to produce a seamless competition and know all athletes, team members, VIP’s, Officials, spectators and Jury members will experience an unforgettable event,” he added.

The successful bid process was led by Olympian LA Dempster and Chris Keevill, CEO of Colour.

“We are thrilled to host the Pan American Championships and share our spectacular race course and all our city has to offer with participants from over 20 nations,” Dempster said.

“This competition will create a legacy that will allow us to attract even more international events and build the sport locally,” added Keevill.

Graham Barton, Chief Technical Officer of Canoe Kayak Canada, said the championships will benefit Canadian paddlers.

“Hosting in Canada will also allow for greater Canadian athlete participation which serves to strengthen our high performance program and positions us well to qualify our boats for the 2019 Games in Lima, Peru,” he said.

About Atlantic Division CanoeKayak Canada

The ADCKC is a non-profit organization committed to the support and advancement of canoe kayak in Atlantic Canada. Representing 12 member clubs and over 1,800 competitive athletes, ADCKC represents over 40 per cent of the registered paddlers across Canada. The organization works with the canoe kayak community to ensure all athletes are able to enjoy recreational and competitive paddling in the Atlantic region.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada 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.

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For more information: 

Tracy White
Manager, Strategic Projects
Atlantic Division CanoeKayak Canada
gm@adckc.ca
(902) 466-9925

Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
Canoe Kayak Canada
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785