For the U.S. canoe and kayak sprint teams, all roads to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing lead through Oklahoma City.
The Chesapeake Boathouse's status as a world-class facility will get a major boost this weekend when it hosts the Olympic trials for flat water canoe and kayak on the Oklahoma River.
The three-day event will kick off on Friday with almost 100 hopefuls competing for a spot on the U.S. team. The event marks Oklahoma's first major national canoe and kayak event.
"The Olympic rings are the strongest brand in the world, and being connected to that is a great opportunity for our community," said Mike Knopp, Chesapeake Boathouse executive director. "Whether or not people know anything about canoeing or kayaking, it's a great chance to experience the Olympic movement."
QUALIFYING
The Oklahoma River was chosen because of its smooth-as-glass surface " ideal for sprints and protected from the state's near-constant winds.
After the trials, the U.S. team will compete in May at the qualifier competition in Montreal to qualify for a spot in Beijing, which will be the first Olympics for Nathan Luce as head coach of the sprint team.
"It would be great to have a ton of people out there watching, but our sport isn't quite there yet," Luce said. "We do want to emulate what we are doing in Oklahoma City in other cities that haven't been exposed to sprint kayaking."
For more information, visit their site. "Charles Martin
