Ottawa, ON (March 24, 2021) Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is thrilled to announce the roster of sprint paddlers nominated to compete in the 2021 international sprint events. Twenty-seven athletes (listed below) will be headed to World Cup events in Szeged, Hungary, and Barnaul, Russia.
Representing Canada at the 2021 Under-23 World Championships in Portugal, are Sophia Jensen (Cascades), Julia Lilley Osende (Mic Mac Aquatic Canoe Club) and Laurent Lavigne (Club de canoe-kayak de Trois Rivieres).
All nominations are based on performances at the CKC Olympic and Paralympic trials held in Burnaby BC earlier this month. Additional internal selections will continue at World Cup events in May and this summer back on home soil. Dates and locations are still to be determined.
While the Canadian Sprint Olympic and Paralympic selection continues through the World Cup season and final Olympic qualifiers this spring, six athletes have already booked their tickets to Tokyo. The following qualified athletes include: Katie Vincent in C1, Andreanne Langlois, Alanna Bray-Lougheed, Michelle Russell, and Madeleine Schmidt in K4, and Andrea Nelson in Para Canoe. These athletes will compete at World Cup events and will ultimately be nominated to the Canadian Olympic Committee when the final Olympic and Paralympic teams are confirmed.
With the World Cup season on the horizon and Olympic spots still on the line it will be interesting for everyone to gauge their performance level after a long hiatus away from competing, said Chief Technical Officer, Graham Barton. I am confident our athletes have prepared well despite the Covid restrictions they have had to navigate for the last several months and personally I think everyone is excited to experience international racing again.
Below are the nominated Canadian sprint international teams:
*An additional athlete in the men’s C1 1000m will be added to this roster following the outcome of the postponed Olympic trials race off – timing and location tbd.
About Canoe Kayak Canada
anoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canadas top performing summer sports with a total of 24 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.