Panuk (Lake Banook) rejoins the global stage next summer when the fastest paddlers on the planet come to Nova Scotia to compete in a spectacle of world-class sport. The 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships (Canoe ’22) will take place from August 3 – 7, 2022 in Punamu’kwati’jk (Dartmouth), Nova Scotia.
Approximately 1,000 athletes and coaches will be in attendance and over 40,000 spectators are expected to watch the event in person over the five days of racing. To enhance the viewing experience and promote community engagement, fans, and spectators can watch the competition and take in activities during the festival.
Considered one of the best natural paddling racecourses in the world, the lake has hosted the World Championships the last three decades, most recently in 2009 when Nova Scotians put on a stunning event that received rave reviews from athletes, volunteers, spectators, and international sport delegates. Fast forward to today, the sport of canoe and kayak has grown steadily in popularity, with Team Canada securing six top 10 finishes and two medals at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
One of the Team Canada athletes who raced in the 2009 Championships is Olympian, Jill D’Alessio. Jill is now a lawyer at McInnes Cooper in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), and has assumed the role of Chair for the Canoe ’22 Society.
“We’re so excited to host the World Championships again. Many of the world’s best canoe and kayak paddlers competed this summer in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and at the Copenhagen World Championships. We’re honoured that they will be making their way to Nova Scotia next summer,” says Jill D’Alessio.
“Organizing an event like this takes a lot of planning and volunteers. COVID 19 has altered the way we compete, the way we gather, and the way we celebrate. In less than one year, we will be ready to safely welcome the world and come together to celebrate racing, culture, and community.”
Local canoer and Olympian Connor Fitzpatrick echoes the excitement of Canoe ’22 organizers.
“I hope to have the opportunity to race at home because it’s a once in a lifetime thing. Especially with all the history of paddling in Nova Scotia and the great paddlers that have touched this water,” said Fitzpatrick.
With sporting events worldwide affected due to the onset of COVID-19, Canoe ’22 is expected to be one of the first major international sporting events hosted in Nova Scotia since the pandemic’s start.
In addition to support from the International Canoe Federation (ICF) and Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC), the event will receive funding from all three levels of government including the Government of Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia, and Halifax Regional Municipality. Canoe ’22 is expected to generate over $20 million of economic activity.
ABOUT THE EVENT
The 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships program includes women’s and men’s categories. Races will be held in both canoe and kayak with single, double, and quad boat disciplines. A total of 32 different preliminaries and finals will be raced in 200, 500, 1000, and 5000 metre distances. Over 600 volunteers and more than 80,000 volunteer hours will support the delivery of the event. For details and contact information, visit www.canoe22.com.
The Canoe ‘22 Society is currently seeking Coordinators eager to take on a leadership role in delivering an exceptional experience for athletes, volunteers, and community stakeholders. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore event management and all it encompasses at the local, community, and international level. Those who are interested can learn more and sign up here: https://canoe22.com/volunteers
We acknowledge that Canoe ’22 will take place in Mi’kma’ki, the traditional and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. We recognize the peace and friendship treaties signed between the British Crown and the Mi’kmaq from 1760
to 1769. We are all treaty people.
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For details contact:
| Jill D’Alessio Chair, Host Society 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships Mobile: 902.499.3644 email: jillian@canoe22.com |
Sharon Guthro General Manager 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships Mobile: 902.809.2108 email: sharon@canoe22.com |