For the first time in 25 years, the International Canoe Federation (ICF) will hold their Canoe Slalom World Championships on U.S. soil.
Deep Creek Lake in McHenry, Maryland, will again play host — the only U.S. city to have ever had the honor of hosting the competition, first in 1989. The event is scheduled for September 16-21, 2014, on Maryland’s largest fresh-water lake at the Adventure Sports Center International whitewater course, located in Garrett County.
To formally pass the torch, the official ICF Flag was presented to Joe Jacobi, CEO of USA Canoe Kayak, and Todd Copley, executive director of Deep Creek 2014, during the closing ceremonies of the 2013 Wold Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, that recently wrapped up in mid-September. The flag will remain in Maryland through the 2014 competition.
“Canoe Slalom is an Olympic-level event showcasing world class athletes and those athletes are going to be competing in Garrett County, Maryland,” said Todd Copley after the ceremony. The westernmost county in scenic Maryland will garner international focus,
and according to event organizers, this will be the largest in-bound sporting event to the United States in 2014. With 300 athletes from over 40 countries, the event is expected to generate approximately $20 million dollars regionally, with 30,000 spectators and 21.5 million international TV viewers.
Striving for a significant presence in the sports space regionally, nationally and internationally, the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) has a tremendous opportunity, according to Terry Hasseltine, executive director of the Maryland Office of Sports. “The World Championships positive effects and legacy on Maryland and Garrett County’s economy, quality of life and brand positioning will be felt for many years post 2014 as well.”
To solidify their preparedness for the event, representatives from Deep Creek 2014 and the United States World Championships delegation spent a week as observers at this year’s World Championships in Prague, while creating European awareness about the 2014 event and encouraging travel to the region before and after.
For more information about the Deep Creek 2014 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, visit Deep Rock 2014. For more information about Adventure Sports Center International, the host site of Deep Creek 2014, visit Adventure Sports Center International.