Canoe 2002 - ten days of awesome sporting action!

Australian Canoeing, Wednesday, 20 March 2002

This Easter will see Penrith and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Canoeing venues abuzz again with “Canoe 2002”. This time the worlds best canoeing venues will present opportunities for Australian paddlers in all disciplines to prove themselves as our nation’s best.

This Easter will see Penrith and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Canoeing venues abuzz again with "Canoe 2002". This time the worlds best canoeing venues will present opportunities for Australian paddlers in all disciplines to prove themselves as our nation's best.

It's ten days of awesome sporting action, featuring Australia's Olympic representatives, national team members, and Ironmen competing in all canoeing disciplines.

Canoe 2002 - the Festival of Australian Championships, sees Australian Canoeing bring all its discipline championships together in Penrith over Easter 2002. Canoe 2002 commences on Good Friday, March 29th 2002 and will conclude on April 7th 2002. The event will see seven disciplines be contested.

Participating disciplines in Canoe 2002 include Canoe Polo, Freestyle, Marathon, Slalom, Sprint and Wildwater (Rapid Sprint). The Australian Rafting Federation has also included their National Championships as part of Canoe 2002.  Australian Canoeing have embraced this new concept for the 2002 National Championships - it is one super-festival of canoeing.

Greg Kaeding President of Australian Canoeing said, "this event will see the best paddlers of Australia come together for the first time in a common competition location. The event will provide athletes with the rare opportunity of not only developing their craft and skills in their own respective disciplines, but also in front of their peers in one of the seven canoe sports being conducted."

Don't miss your chance to come and try canoeing for yourself... for FREE, on Saturday March 30 at Penrith Whitewater, McCarthy's Lane, Cranebrook - Sydney's premier white water venue. If you would like to get into a canoe or kayak yourself, The Edge 96.1 FM "Come and try" canoeing event, in conjunction with Penrith Whitewater, Horizonline Canoes and Australian Canoeing is being held for the general public.

An enormous variety of boats and activities will be available to try under expert supervision. A short walk over to the Whitewater Stadium or Regatta Centre will reveal the nations top paddlers gunning for the National title. Further details regarding the Come and Try day are available from Horizon Line Canoes on 02 4731 8600 or at www.horizonline.com.au

With a number of spectacular Australian performances in Sprint, Marathon Slalom, Freestyle and Rafting at international competitions in 2001 the Festival is shaping up to provide some rare and exciting entertainment.

Local Penrith Athlete Robin Bell, a silver medallist at the World Freestyle Championships and also Australia's top Slalom paddler and Clint Robinson, 1992 Olympic Gold Medallist will be amongst the stars competing.

With the event now only one week away excitement continues to build and entries for Canoe 2002 continue to role in. To date over 1000 athletes have entered the Championships with canoeists representing all States of Australia, The Netherlands, Denmark, New Zealand and Great Britain.

Other activities held over the course of the event include a dinner open to all on March 31st (Easter Sunday) incorporating the 2001 Australian Canoeist of the Year Awards.

For more information and an entry booklet for the event check out the AC website at www.canoe.org.au or call the AC office direct on 02 9552 4500.