It has been a decade since the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games shone on a light on the UK. The Olympics alone saw 26 sports, 39 disciplines, 34 venues, 302 events and 10,568 athletes highlight the nation's ability to successfully host major events. Since then many of those sports and athletes have returned to London and the Olympic venues across the UK to take part in numerous international championships.
Once such venue is the Lee Valley Water Centre in Hertfordshire, which hosted the Canoe Slalom events in 2012. Five days of competition was watched by a combined attendance of 55,000. There were four medal events on the programme, including the Women's K1 Kayak which saw France's Emilie Fer beat Australia's Jess Fox to Olympic gold. Fox went on to win the bronze medal in Rio in 2016 and took gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the inaugural C1 event for women.
Officially opened in April 2011 at a cost of £31m the centre is approximately 25 minutes away by train from central London and close to the M25 road network. Less than two years after the 2012 Olympics the venue developed even further with the addition of new facilities tailored to cater for events and conferences, with the centre now British Canoeing’s base for its canoe slalom World Class Performance Programme.
Ten years on legacy is very much alive at the centre. The centre opened up to the public six weeks after Olympic competition ended. Since then 500,000 people have taken part in paddle sports, 5,700 have participated in funded programmes and 700 schools visit it each year. The centre also hosted the ICF (International Canoe Federation) World Cup in 2014 & 2019 and the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in 2015.
In 2023 the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships will be held at the Lee Valley White Water Centre for a second time. Six days of competition will take place between Tuesday 19 & Sunday 24 September with the medal events running from the Friday to the Sunday, including the exciting Canoe Cross discipline.
Kayak Cross first appeared on the ICF’s World Cup program in 2015, and since then the growth has been phenomenal. Athlete numbers have been increasing every season, more and more TV networks are showing the races live, and there’s plenty of enthusiasm for the sport as it joins the Olympic programme at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Hospitality is now on sale for the 2023 championships, which also act as an Olympic qualifier for Paris 2024. As a VIP guest you will be able access areas that bring you up close & personal with all the action and world class athletes, whilst enjoying the Best of British hospitality. DAIMANI has been appointed as the exclusive and official sales agent for hospitality experiences.
Gareth May, Business, Development Manager for British Canoeing, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with DAIMANI for the 2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. With live entertainment, great food, opportunities to try paddling and lots, lots more, the 2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships promises to be an action packed event with something for everyone to enjoy.”
John Eades, Managing Director UK for DAIMANI, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside British Canoeing on this prestigious world championships. Our team will assist reach a wider UK and international audience through our state-of-the art e-commerce platform. “The unique hospitality experience is perfect for businesses, families, enthusiastic paddlers and those wanting to experience the sport & the iconic Olympic venue for the first time.”
You can book hospitality experiences now by visiting the following link.
