- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,235,901
- Reaction score
- 59
For canoe slalom athletes, the road to the 2028 Olympics is a two-year ride that begins and ends in Oklahoma City.
Riversport OKC will host the 2026 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Slalom World Championships July 20 to 25.
It’s the first major qualification event for the 2028 games, and it will be held at the very same venue where the Olympic canoe slalom events will be contested two summers from now.
More: What's the whitewater course at Riversport OKC like? We hopped on the rapids to find out
More than 300 athletes from 50 nations will compete in the six-day event, vying for medals in canoe slalom, kayak slalom and kayak cross. By comparison, a max of 82 athletes will compete in the canoe slalom Olympic events.
The World Championships have been held annually in non-Olympic years since 2002.
This is only the second time that the World Championships will be held in the U.S. They were held in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, in 2014.
The 2026 World Championships in Oklahoma City will be the first of nine Olympic qualification events leading up to the 2028 games.
More: Meet the Team USA canoe star working a construction job to fund his Olympic dream
Sept. 3-5: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Vaires-sur-Marnes, France
Sept. 10-13: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, La Seu, Spain
June 4-6, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Prague, Czechia
June 11-13, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Augsburg, Germany
Aug. 13-15, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Lee Valley, England
Aug. 20-22, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Pau, France
Sept. 7-12, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, La Seu, Spain
Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Montgomery, Alabama
More: Why is 2028 Olympic canoe slalom in OKC? It started with a 'crazy idea'
There are six Olympic qualification ranking lists — one each for men’s and women’s canoe slalom, kayak slalom and kayak cross.
Only 82 total spots — 41 for men and 41 for women — will be awarded in Olympic canoe slalom events across the three disciplines.
Of those 82 spots, 38 of them — 19 for men and 19 for women — will be awarded based on the rankings established through the nine qualification events, starting with the World Championships in Oklahoma City. There are 20 canoe single spots, 12 kayak singles spots and six kayak cross spots split evenly between men and women up for grabs through the rankings.
Another 30 spots, 15 men and 15 women, will be awarded in continental qualifiers (European, Pan-American, Asian, African, Oceania). The highest-placed athletes in those events who have yet to qualify for the Olympics will earn a spot.
The remaining 12 spots, six men and six women, will be awarded through a global qualification competition.
Yes. As the Olympic host, one U.S. man and one U.S. woman will be guaranteed a spot in either kayak singles or kayak cross at the 2028 games.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in OKC mark beginning of Olympic qualifying
Continue reading...
Riversport OKC will host the 2026 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Slalom World Championships July 20 to 25.
It’s the first major qualification event for the 2028 games, and it will be held at the very same venue where the Olympic canoe slalom events will be contested two summers from now.
More: What's the whitewater course at Riversport OKC like? We hopped on the rapids to find out
What is the importance of the 2026 Canoe Slalom World Championships?
More than 300 athletes from 50 nations will compete in the six-day event, vying for medals in canoe slalom, kayak slalom and kayak cross. By comparison, a max of 82 athletes will compete in the canoe slalom Olympic events.
The World Championships have been held annually in non-Olympic years since 2002.
This is only the second time that the World Championships will be held in the U.S. They were held in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, in 2014.
The 2026 World Championships in Oklahoma City will be the first of nine Olympic qualification events leading up to the 2028 games.
More: Meet the Team USA canoe star working a construction job to fund his Olympic dream
What are the other Olympic qualifying events on the road to OKC?
Sept. 3-5: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Vaires-sur-Marnes, France
Sept. 10-13: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, La Seu, Spain
June 4-6, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Prague, Czechia
June 11-13, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Augsburg, Germany
Aug. 13-15, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Lee Valley, England
Aug. 20-22, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Pau, France
Sept. 7-12, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, La Seu, Spain
Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2027: ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, Montgomery, Alabama
More: Why is 2028 Olympic canoe slalom in OKC? It started with a 'crazy idea'
You must be registered for see images attach
How does the Olympic qualifying process work?
There are six Olympic qualification ranking lists — one each for men’s and women’s canoe slalom, kayak slalom and kayak cross.
Only 82 total spots — 41 for men and 41 for women — will be awarded in Olympic canoe slalom events across the three disciplines.
Of those 82 spots, 38 of them — 19 for men and 19 for women — will be awarded based on the rankings established through the nine qualification events, starting with the World Championships in Oklahoma City. There are 20 canoe single spots, 12 kayak singles spots and six kayak cross spots split evenly between men and women up for grabs through the rankings.
Another 30 spots, 15 men and 15 women, will be awarded in continental qualifiers (European, Pan-American, Asian, African, Oceania). The highest-placed athletes in those events who have yet to qualify for the Olympics will earn a spot.
The remaining 12 spots, six men and six women, will be awarded through a global qualification competition.
Is the U.S. guaranteed a spot as the host country?
Yes. As the Olympic host, one U.S. man and one U.S. woman will be guaranteed a spot in either kayak singles or kayak cross at the 2028 games.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in OKC mark beginning of Olympic qualifying
Continue reading...
