Canoe Slalom venue tested ahead of the Games

Over 80 canoe slalom athletes took to the water today at the Lee Valley White Water Centre as part of their final preparations for the Games.

Athletes from 30 national teams took advantage of today’s opportunity to train at the London 2012 venue – the last chance to train here before the Olympic Canoe Slalom competition starts on 29 July.

The Olympic hopefuls tackled the 300-metre Olympic-standard competition course, with a 5.5 metre descent.

Debbie Jevans, London 2012 Director of Sport, said: ‘We are ready to deliver the Games, the venue is in great shape and the athletes now have another chance to train at the facility.

‘Athletes have always been at the heart of our planning and we have done everything we can to ensure that they have perfect stage upon which to compete.’

The centre has two separate courses: the competition course, and a 160m intermediate/training course with a 1.6m descent.

Both courses were built from scratch, along with a 10,000 square metre lake. This feeds a system of pumps that provide the course with 13 cubic metres of water per second. The white water is created by these pumps and obstacles placed along the course.

Construction of the Lee Valley White Water Centre started in July 2009 and was completed in December 2010. It opened in spring 2011 as the only brand new London 2012 venue that the public have been able to use ahead of the Games.

After the Games, the two courses and the facilities building will remain, with the venue once again becoming a world-class canoeing and kayaking facility for people of all levels of ability, and a major leisure attraction for white water rafting.