FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (April 11, 2024) – Over 20 Sprint and Paracanoe paddlers from across Canada have booked their tickets to the next stage of 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic qualification.

The National Team Trials, held at the Chula Vista Elite Training Centre, served as a selection regatta for the ICF Canoe Sprint and Para World Cup, the ICF Para World Championships and the Americas Continental Olympic Qualifier where Canada aims to secure additional quota spots for Paris 2024.

Eight Olympic and Paralympic paddlers from Tokyo were selected for the team, including Tokyo Olympian and 2022 World Champion, Connor Fitzpatrick, heading to both the Olympic quota qualifier and ICF World Cup Szeged.

“Heading into the upcoming critical events we strongly believe in the program that our coach, Andreas has built for us,” said Fitzpatrick. “We are excited for what’s ahead this year and we are all pushing as hard as we can to hopefully bring some really good results for the team this summer!”

Para paddler Erica Scarff is looking forward to more racing opportunities at the ICF Para Sprint World Championships in May, building towards Paris 2024.

“I am happy to be selected to the Para World Championship team and compete at my 9^th World Championships,” said Scarff. “I am grateful for the leadership of our coach Mark Granger and trust that the preparations will lead to exciting performances for the entire team!”

“The strength of our paddlers was very evident on the racecourse over the last three days of competition,” said Ian Mortimer, Chief Technical Officer for Canoe Kayak Canada. “We are building towards a big summer and this was an important step for the team as we push towards our top performances in Paris.”

You can tune into live World Cup coverage on the ICF website. Stay tuned for Olympic and Paralympic team selections culminating at the second set of National Team Trials in June at the Olympic Basin from June 21-23.

KEY DATES:

AMERICA’S CONTINENTAL OLYMPIC QUALIFIER & PAN AM CHAMPIONSHIPS – APRIL 23-25

ICF PARACANOE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – MAY 9-11

ICF CANOE SPRINT WORLD CUP SZEGED – MAY 10-12

NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS #2 MONTREAL – JUNE 21-23

Paracanoe World Championships                                                                     Club

Americas Continental Olympic Qualifier and Pan American Championships

Women’s Kayak                                                                                                    Club

Men’s Kayak                                                                                                         Club

Men’s Canoe                                                                                                         Club

2024 Sprint World Cup Team

Women’s Canoe                                                                                                   Club

Men’s Canoe                                                                                                         Club

Women’s Kayak                                                                                                    Club

Men’s Kayak                                                                                                          Club

 Visit Canoe Kayak Canada’s website to get more information and make sure to follow @CanoeKayakCAN for social updates.

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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 26 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:

Colleen Coderre
Communications Lead
ccoderre@canoekayak.ca

Emmalee Nother
Communications Coordinator
enother@canoekayak.ca