Swimming pools for the nation’s top aquatic athletes need to be as clean as possible. And a new partnership between USA Artistic Swimming and iGarden, makers of pool cleaning equipment, appears to be an ideal match.

USA Artistic Swimming has announced the new partnership with iGarden, a subsidiary of Fairland Group, including a live demonstration recently held in California for a select crowd of Olympians and media. The agreement also makes the brand the exclusive robotic pool cleaner partner of the national governing body.

“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome iGarden into the USA Artistic Swimming family” said USA Artistic Swimming CEO Adam Andrasko. “Their forward-thinking vision and dedication to excellence mirror the true heart of USA Artistic Swimming.”

Guests at the announcement included Andrasko, Chief of Sport (and three time Olympian) Lara Teixeria, Olympic silver medalist Daniella Ramirez, and 2025 national team members Elle Santana, Emma Moore, Kamako Field, Morgan Woelfel, and Valerie Wiliams). Former Olympian Lenny Krayzelburg (four-time gold medalist and founder of SwimRight Academy) was also in attendance.

The company displayed products at the event and also announced its Pool Perfection Experience: a fully immersive, in-home product trial campaign available across California where pool owners can try the company’s products for free.

“iGarden has always been at the forefront of revolutionizing outdoor living” said Wind Gong, iGarden chief marketing officer, “Partnering with USA Artistic Swimming is a continuation of our brand growth and dedication to expanding our partnership horizons. As a brand of artful living, it was only natural to choose a team that emulates that.”

]]> 74955https://media.sportstravelmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/10032329/USA-Artistic-Swimming-Crop.jpg https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/2025-world-rowing-beach-sprint-finals-in-rio-de-janeiro-cancelled/ Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:00:04 +0000 https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/?p=72989

PARIS — Throughout a big win over France in women’s water polo action on Friday at the Aquatic Centre in the 2024 Olympic Summer Games, the United States was cheered on by a display of star power that sometimes is only reserved for the most marquee of sports.

There was celebrity chef Guy Fieri, USOPC Chief Executive Officer Sarah Hirshland and LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman. And as always during these Games, there was former Public Enemy star Flavor Flav, who before the Games signed a five-year sponsorship deal as the official hype man for the national team.

“We live in a celebrity-obsessed society,” said USA Water Polo Chief Executive Officer Christopher Ramsey.

Flav’s celebrity promotion has done a lot for the sport while the Games are underway, the latest example of how the organization has worked to promote itself on social media starting with its own in-house operations as well, which Ramsey credits Chief Content & Marketing Officer Greg Mescall for.

“We actually built a broadcast studio in our offices,” Ramsey said. “It was modest and little, but Greg really led the way on that. And what we did is we started to use social media to recognize teams and performances all across the country. And so even though the sport initially was really California centric, we tried to nationalize the sport by the way we covered it. And that has really paid dividends.”

Some of the work has also been by utilizing the sport’s mindset.

“Water polo is an unusual sport because it combines certain qualities that most other sports don’t have,” Ramsey said. “What I found is people who play water polo have learned from the sport that there’s more than one way to get you to get to your goal. And sometimes it might be a sneaky backdoor way, but they’re very creative. And I think that’s had a big impact on the sport’s growth and it’s our ability to attract other people who are interested in the sport. Because they’re kind of like, wow, I’m not sure I understand what this is, but I’ve never really seen anything like it.”

What have fans seen so far in the Games? The U.S. women, having won the past three Olympic gold medals, will be in the medal rounds in Paris after going 3-1 in group play, culminating with a dominant 17-5 win over France on Friday that tied the mark for most goals in a game so far in the tournament.

The U.S. men followed that with a win over Montenegro on Saturday to advance to the medal rounds as well. It finished in fourth place at the Water Polo World Cup in 2023 after silver medals in 2020 and 2022 in the FINA World League.

Oh, and back home the national governing body is also running one of its biggest events of the year, the USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics with sessions in Bay Area having been completed last week, followed by three days of competition in North Texas with all three sites combining for the latest age group water polo tournament in the nation. It’s a balancing act Ramsey is proud to juggle.

“We’ve become a mature organization with highly developed national teams and really a solid foundation of youth sport underneath it,” he said. “That was not the case when I first came to (the organization). We spent a lot of time working on how to build that and creating partnerships with our clubs within the sport. With great locations, great venues around the country where we could have events that people wanted to attend.”

USA Water Polo also knows as much as it continues to expand nationally into new markets, it also is inextricably linked to California — Southern California in particular. No team outside of California has made it to a title game in men’s or women’s water polo in NCAA history; it has sponsored the men’s championship since 1969 and the women’s since 2001.

The next Games being in Los Angeles will be “jet fuel” for the NGB, Ramsey says, with water polo slated to be in Long Beach. Those will be the first Games in a while that Ramsey can attend as a fan; he will retire as chief executive officer after Paris concludes, having been in the job for 17 years.

“I kind of felt like they brought me in in part because I was a bit of a gunslinger and I was willing to face up at High Noon at the OK Corral,” Ramey said with a laugh. “That’s been a critical part of my makeup because there were certain entrenched parts of the sport and habits that people built up that needed to be changed in the best interests of the members and the organization over time. I’ve had my share of gunfights and I was watching a Western the other day and thought, old gunfighters don’t really get to hang up their guns at the end of the day. There’s always still somebody that’s going to call you out.”

USA Water Polo membership now totals nearly 50,000 and has increased revenue to $16 million in 2022 from under $4 million in 2006, along with launching the Olympic Development Program and National Junior Olympics. And state-of-the-art aquatics complex at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, serves as a hub. Jamie Davis, the current leader of USA Volleyball, will take over at USA Water Polo this fall.

“I always wanted to leave the place shipshape,” Ramsey said. “And I feel like financially, performance wise, at the national team level, from an expansion and growth point of view, all of those areas now, the place is in pretty good shape. One of my concerns was leaving it in a way that it could continue to grow and be successful and I really feel confident in that now. Jamie’s a great guy and he’ll do an amazing job, he’s got a different portfolio than I had and he’ll have some expertise that will be really valuable.”

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission will host the 2024 World Wake Association Wake Park National Championships at the Shark Wake Park inside Okeeheelee Park.

The event, in partnership with World Wake Productions, will take place from August 8–11. It marks the first time the event will be hosted in The Palm Beaches.

The championships will feature both professional and amateur competitors from across the nation in three disciplines: Wake Park Traditional, Wake Park Urban and Wakeskating. The event is expected to draw over 1,000 attendees, including 300 participants and 750 spectators, support staff, officials and sponsors.

The World Wake Association, founded in 1989, is a rider-formed organization that continues to support the sport’s progression by providing events and competitive standards for riders of all levels. Shark Wake Park, located inside Okeeheelee Park, spans 1,700 acres.

One of the main talking points ahead of the 2024 Olympic Summer Games has been numerical gender parity on the field of play with equal representation of male and female athletes.

Within the U.S. Olympic movement, that milestone has been the norm for multiple Games. The infrastructure around women’s sports has grown dramatically since the passage of Title IX more than a half-century ago — with ever-rocketing investment since the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

“The first time I personally experienced the buzz around women’s soccer was after (the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup),” said U.S. women’s national soccer midfielder Rose Lavelle. “I think now seeing continued growth, everybody in women’s sports knew the whole time how good it was. It’s really exciting to see everybody else figuring it out now. It’s not a moment, it’s here to stay and it’s going to keep growing and getting better.”

Athletically, the proof is in the numbers. At the 2016 Rio Games, women won 50.4% of the country’s overall medals; that number increased to 58.4% of the overall medals at the 2020 Tokyo Games. In 20 of the 27 Olympic Summer Games in which American men and women competed for medals, women have won a greater share of the available golds than men.

“I just have this immense sense of gratitude for people seeing and wanting to invest,” said USA Volleyball outside hitter Jordan Larson. “I think it’s only going to continue and grow and evolve. That landscape is changing so much too, it’s this fun rollercoaster to be a part of.”

The 2024 U.S. Olympic team is comprised of 314 females and 278 males, the fourth straight Games with more women on the U.S. roster than men. The growth that has been prominent from the WNBA to NWSL, Athletics Unlimited to collegiate and professional volleyball, is spreading to many other sports.

USA Wrestling women’s coach Terry Steiner said there are 45 states with girls wrestling sanctioned in high school, up from six in 2016. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has recommended Divisions I, II and III add a national collegiate women’s wrestling championship, with the projected first NCAA championship occurring in winter 2026.

“When I started wrestling in my high school, I wrestled on the boys team and I was probably one of three women in the whole state who wrestled and now there’s 40 girls on the team,” said wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt, who will compete at 50kg in women’s freestyle at the 2024 Games in Paris. “It’s skyrocketing right now and in a way it’s really emotional because I can see and remember where it started.”

Big Sports Reaping Big Attention

“In our sport I do feel the women do a phenomenal job of taking over,” said Gabby Thomas, a double medalist at the 2020 Games who will compete in the women’s 200 meters in athletics in Paris. “I grew up watching incredible women running and other than Usain Bolt, my focus was Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards Ross, Carmelita Jeter, I could see myself in their position. I’m really excited about where the sport has been and where it continues to go.”

Athletics is one of the most prominent sports at the Games each four years and the United States has a chief rival in Jamaica, which won three golds in track competition to equal the U.S. in Tokyo (the U.S. won two goals in field competitions). The increased competition in all sports is something that many U.S. athletes and coaches have noticed with each Olympiad.

“I don’t necessarily want the competition to be closer but if that’s what creates more interest, OK,” said USA Basketball women’s coach Cheryl Reeve, whose team will seek its eight successive gold medal. “The globalization of the game, while I understand it, if I’m USA Basketball, I don’t like it. I may be playing for France, but I’m not afraid of you because I’m playing against you (in the NBA). Or I start to believe that I can beat you because I had success against you in a WNBA game.”

And even if not competitive in Paris, the chance that another team or individual could be down the line is also a complement to the U.S. women’s sports ecosystem.

“Zambia in our opening match shows how much growth there is in the women’s game,” said U.S. women’s national team defender Crystal Dunn. “It’s incredibly important as a member of the national team that there’s a focus to grow the game, not just in this country. It’s one of those things where you really just want to celebrate how far women’s sports has come. That’s our opponent, but behind the scenes I can also sit here and root and cheer for how far they’ve come.”

Attention, Finances Coming to All Sports

The frenzy of attention around the NCAA Women’s Tournament, especially this year, to go with the increasing spotlight on women’s pro sports leagues is something athletes from other Olympic sports want to work to capture themselves.

“I’m obsessed with women’s sports,” said USA water polo attacker Maggie Steffans, “To be able to watch March Madness was amazing, obviously women’s soccer has been a leader. For us, how can we carry that torch into aquatic sports and water polo? To see how much growth has happened, how do we take what these women are doing in other sports and how do we make that torch brighter?”

“A win for any women’s sport is a win for all women’s sports,” added USA water polo goalie Ashleigh Johnson. “I think we’re going to see and we already are seeing the trickle-down effect of money, media, attention, interest for young girls in sport. …. More coverage, more money, more attention toward women’s sports is always a good thing.”

And with that attention and investment also comes competition and participation as veterans find themselves increasingly challenged to maintain their Olympic status.

“It’s wonderful to see women’s team sports catapulting and TV coverage,” said BMX rider Alise Willoughby. “I get to go to the local tracks all the time and see the number of girls on the track and every single year since I’ve been out there as a young girl myself, it’s grown and grown. The more people you see being able to make a career out of that, representation matters, right?”

And the representation then spurs on even more investment. The USA women’s field hockey team will be in Paris for the first time since 2016 after beating three teams ranked in the top 10 in the world at the 2024 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier in Ranchi, India. It was the most tangible sign of progress for the program since the national team moved its training to the U.S. Performance Center in Charlotte.

“Women’s sports visibility is incredibly important,” said USA field hockey goalie Kelsey Bing. “I wouldn’t be here today without the female role models that I saw on television when I was young and the female coaches that I had growing up. I hope our team can be a beacon for any young athlete regardless of gender and they get inspired for the Olympic movement like I did.”

Some of the best athletes in the world in their respective sports will be in the spotlight during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games — but before they get to Paris, they have to pack for Paris. So what are the things they can’t leave home without? SportsTravel has canvassed opinions from dozens of athletes between the Team USA Media Summit in mid-April in New York City and since then in multiple media opportunities. Here’s a rundown.

Kelsey Bing, field hockey: “I actually normally travel with a blanket because that is very heartwarming. I also love croissants, it’s my favorite thing ever. I have a croissant necklace on right now, I wore it to manifest qualifying. … We have a little team mascot, Edgar, an eagle. He attaches onto the side of our dugout.”

Olivia Chambers, para swimming: “I have this stuffed hippo since I was about six months old and I bring it everywhere with me. It helps me ease the nerves. Beyond that, making sure that I have extra sets of goggles and all my suits.”

Eli Dershwitz, fencing: “I’m a perennial over packer. If I need to get ready for a training camp or competition where I’m going to do nine workouts, I bring 18 pairs of workout equipment even if I can do laundry. I throw everything in an extra suitcase and I just prefer not to worry about it. … I have a bracelet of bottlecaps that my sister made me in middle school. I have a small bottle of hot sauce that my coach gave me when I was a little kid because I used to put hot sauce on everything. (It) never broke, I don’t know how going through all these airports and getting lost in all these rural countries. I would never open it up and use it, it’s probably disgusting by now. … There’s a little glass turtle, I really liked turtles growing up and I tried to catch them growing up near a lake. I would be very, very sad and I don’t know how much it would affect me but I am hoping that I never have to compete without it.”

Kate Douglass, swimming: “Definitely aside from all my swim gear, a lot of lotion and stuff. At a swim meet, that’s definitely important. Then me and my friends, we’ll probably bring some digital cameras to record everything.”

Crystal Dunn, soccer: “Headphones. A sleep mask now that I’m a mom. I need every bit of help to get my Z’s.”

Joshua Edwards, boxing: “My diffusers. I’m big on smells, I can’t be somewhere where it doesn’t smell good. If something stinks, I can’t concentrate. I change it up, I like more fruity scents than calm ones — those make my head hurt after a while.”

Megumi Field, artistic swimming: “I have this back massager that I cannot live without. I lay on it at night before I go to bed.”

Casey Kaufhold, archery: “I definitely want to bring a lot of my own snacks. I take my own food no matter what because you never know what the local grocery store has. They may not have your Goldfish or your Oreos. I’m a pretty light traveler, I’ve made it on international trips with just my equipment and a carry-on. I have some teammates who are like how do you pack in such a small little bag. They give you a duffel full of Nike stuff and a duffel full of Ralph Lauren stuff. Then I have my bow case, so I’m coming back with three pieces of luggage. I took a little roller carry-on last time and I was like I don’t know how I’m going to take all this stuff through the airport. I think this time around I’m going to try to just make it in a backpack.”

Jordan Larson, volleyball: “As I’ve gotten older, how to take care of my body with vitamins and recovery tools, how do I keep staying ahead of that. That’s huge for me. I would say there’s nothing crazy. I’ve traveled all over the world so I’m used to living on not a lot. If you can’t find it, you’ll figure it out.”

Lee Kiefer, fencing: “I try to stay adaptable. I’ve been in so many situations where I’ve gotten food poisoning, or I’ve missed my flight, so I kinda want to go into each competition being like (stuff) happens, that’s fine, we’re going to work with it. If I have something like (a list), I’m setting myself to be screwed over later.”

Rose Lavelle, soccer: “My kindle. I travel everywhere with it.”

Brody Malone, gymnastics: “I never travel without my pillow. I always sleep on my pillow. I did it once when I was little and slept terrible, didn’t do good at a competition and I was like all right I’m bringing my pillow from now on.”

Morelle McCane, boxing: “I always have a picture of my little brother. He passed away so I gotta take him with me. Everything else, I’ll figure it out.”

Grace Norman, para triathlon: “The first things I’m putting in my bag are my prosthetics. Everything else is replaceable – shoes, race kit, helmet, bike. Prosthetics aren’t.”

Brooke Raboutou, climbing: “My climbing gear, my shoes, harness, all of that. Ear buds for the plane, I love listening to music and that really grounds me and keep me in my space.”

Daniella Ramirez, artistic swimming: “My suits, my ID. I pack this meditation cushion in all my stuff so I can meditate in the morning and before I go to bed. Other than that, I can kinda deal. … This necklace, it’s Venezuela where my family is from. I never leave the house without it. It stays in my water bottle when I’m in the pool so that people don’t step on it and break it. It was a gift from someone who’s passed away now.”

Emily Sonnett, soccer: “My eye mask.”

Abby Tamer, field hockey: “When we went to Pan Ams that was a pretty similar experience (to Paris). We got Nike gear when you were there. I made sure I brought a little pillow; it reminds me of home. I’ll bring that for sure. I like to have a Michigan shirt that I sleep in because it’s super comfortable. … I’m going to bring a lot of food because I like to have my specific stuff before a game, so a good amount of my suitcase will be food.”

John Tolkien, soccer: “It’s gotta be cologne. I love all sorts of scents. I couldn’t do without it.”

The Head of the Charles Regatta, the world’s largest rowing regatta, announced that Tori Stevens will assume the role of executive director beginning July 1, succeeding Fred Schoch, who had a 33-year tenure leading the Regatta.

Stevens comes to HOCR after serving as chief executive officer for SUP3R, an affiliated company of Superfly. Before her time at SUP3R, Stevens held executive positions at GumGum Sports, the Sports Innovation Lab, CSM Sports & Entertainment and the Boston Consulting Group. She also spent 15 years at ESPN where she served as vice president of global X Games events and operations.

“I am honored to be selected as the next executive director of the Head of the Charles Regatta,” said Stevens. “I am excited to work with our team of staff and volunteers as we welcome athletes, coaches, and spectators to our iconic Regatta. I know we will build on the Regatta’s legacy as we grow and innovate both in the sport of rowing and how we support our communities.”

Stevens is a board member of USA Pickleball, a member of Women in Sports Tech and an advisor for MBA Sports Business Alliance. She has also been a competitive marathoner and Ironman athlete.

“When we launched our international search last year, we were dedicated to find a leader who would join us in our commitment to running a world-class regatta and at the same time help us think proactively about the areas where we can continue to pioneer, grow and improve,” said Tim Fulham, chair of the HOCR board of directors. “Tori’s impressive career speaks for itself. Her ability to be forward thinking while respecting the history of the sportRegatta makes her the right leader for the Regatta now and into the future.”

The Head of the Charles Regatta is held October each year on the Charles River, which separates Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Since its inception in 1965, The Head Of The Charles Regatta has attracted hundreds of thousands of rowers to the banks of the Charles river.

“The 2024 Regatta on October 18–20 will be particularly exciting,” Fulham said. “Since we are in an Olympic year, we expect over 50 Olympians will be in Boston to compete, along with our regular complement of youth, collegiate, and masters’ athletes. We will be introducing Tori to the rowing community at an exciting time for the Regatta.”

Experience Kissimmee will be a sponsor of the 2024 P1 Offshore National Championship, the UIM Class 1 World Championship, the P1 AquaX USA National Championship and presenting sponsor of this year’s Cowes-Torquay-Cowes Powerboat Race in Great Britain, renewing a relationship with marine motorsport promoter Powerboat P1 that began in 2016.

The sponsorship package offers a platform to raise awareness of the destination both in the United States and Europe through the live audiences and P1’s national and international television coverage. The P1 race season kicked off last weekend with the P1 AquaX season-opener in Daytona Beach and will head to the Space Coast next month for the opening offshore powerboat racing event at Cocoa Beach, Florida.

“We are thrilled with the evolution of our partnership with Powerboat P1,” said DT Minich, president and chief executive officer of Experience Kissimmee. “What began as a single event collaboration in Lake Toho, Kissimmee, has blossomed into a global activation, showcasing the strong bond and confidence we share with P1. Joining the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes Powerboat Race in Great Britain presents yet another exciting opportunity for us to spotlight Kissimmee and its family-friendly attractions. Given the UK’s status as one of our top international visitor markets, expanding our partnership with P1 was an easy decision.”

The Experience Kissimmee sponsorship also includes the five-event Class 1 World Championship and the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes event on the south coast of England in late August. Dating to 1961, the race covers a 219-mile course and remains one of the most prestigious races in the world.

“With our U.S. headquarters being less than 40 miles from Kissimmee, we have enjoyed a close relationship over the last eight years,” said P1 Chief Executive Officer Azam Rangoonwala. “We know that Experience Kissimmee is always seeking new and innovative marketing opportunities to reach its key markets and spread the word about the destination and our powerboat and jet ski race events deliver outstanding family entertainment and provide the perfect arena to promote Kissimmee as a favorite family holiday destination.”

Experience Kissimmee will also host Major League Fishing this weekend for the fifth-annual General Tire Heavy Hitters at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The All-Star tournament will showcase 30 pros that qualified from the 2023 Bass Pro Tour season competing in a no-entry-fee tournament for a top prize of $100,000 to the winner. Anglers will also be awarded Big Bass Bonuses during the competition, that pay up to $100,000 for catching the single biggest bass. This event marks the fourth time that the MLF Bass Pro Tour will hold an event on the Kissimmee Chain, extending Kissimmee’s record as the most-visited venue on the Bass Pro Tour.

“We are pleased to welcome back Major League Fishing Heavy Hitters to Lake Toho and the Kissimmee area,” said Tyler Weyant, director of sports development for the Kissimmee Sports Commission. “We’re honored to host this prestigious event once again, building on the success of our collaboration back in June 2020. To all participants, families, and friends joining us for the tournament, I encourage you to take full advantage of your time here in Kissimmee. Explore local shops, savor the flavors of our diverse restaurants, and immerse yourselves in the culture of our city. Your support not only enhances your experience but also contributes to the vitality of our community.”

If you’ve ever seen traditional diving at the Olympic Games or in real life, you know that the cleaner the dive, the better the score. The goal in that discipline is to enter the water as straight as possible with as little splash as possible. But starting in the 1970s, a new generation of divers began something just a bit different. Starting in Norway, these diving daredevils started jumping from substantial heights, doing crazy stunts on the way down, entering the water in a hunched position not just for safety but to create the largest splash possible. Imagine something that combines the flips of snowboard halfpipe with the satisfaction of a cannonball and that gets you close.

But now Døds Diving or Death Diving if you’re Norwegian isn’t up to speed, has become a legitimate event circuit, hosting world championships since 2008. Leading the charge is Paul Rigault, CEO and co-founder of the Døds Diving League and Døds Federation, and Stine Brun Kjeldaas, the league head of sports and media, and a World Champion, X Games gold medalist and silver medalist in snowboarding at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. In this episode, we talk with Paul and Stine about what it takes to host one of these events, what an ideal host venue looks like, what the atmosphere is like at a Døds competition and why in the world anyone would want to hurl themselves off a high dive platform, spin around on the way down and splash their way to victory. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Among the topics in this episode

• Details on the sport of Døds Diving (4:35)
• The main differences between Døds Diving and traditional diving (5:20)
• How high divers will dive from (5:51)
• How deep the water needs to be to dive in (7:10)
• How the sport is judged (7:34)
• What kinds of athletes typically compete (9:08)
• How many events are being produced on the circuit (10:30)
• Ideal venues that work for the sport (11:16)
• U.S. destinations that are hosting events on the circuit (12:05)
• The role of social media in growing the sport (12:34)
• A stunt in Utah that went viral (14:17)
• The atmosphere at live events (14:57)
• Stine’s background in snowboarding (16:25)
• Similarities between snowboarding’s growth and Døds Diving (17:52)
• Paul’s background in the early days of Døds Diving (18:34)
• Opportunities for women to beat men in the sport (20:14)
• Is there a future for this event in the Olympic Games? (20:43)
• Increase of U.S. athletes competing at the highest level (21:39)
• Where they see the future of the sport’s events (22:11)
• Other aspects of the event series that poise it for growth (23:23)

This episode is sponsored by:

What do Oklahoma City and Montgomery, Alabama, have in common? Elite whitewater canoeing and kayaking, of course.

That might not have been the answer that came to mind, but that’s what the two cities share this month when it comes to the 2024 Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

For Oklahoma City, which has had Riversport OKC since 2016, hosting an event of this magnitude is nothing new. For Montgomery, this is a chance to showcase Montgomery Whitewater Park, which opened in July 2023.

“We hosted a race on opening day last July, a junior race, and the feedback we got from most of the athletes was that the course was awesome,” said Dave Hepp, the general manager of Montgomery Whitewater Park. “People started asking us if we were interested in hosting races at a higher level. Once we got some of the city and county players involved and interested in it, it went from there. Last November is when we put together a bid and then we had a couple folks from the American Canoe Association and the U.S. Olympic Committee come down and check out the course and city.”

The ACA and U.S. Olympic contingent liked what they saw and decided the 2024 Olympic Team Trials would be split between Montgomery (April 13–14) and Oklahoma City (April 26–27).

“Making the Olympic team is such a huge deal in an athlete’s life,” said Mike Knopp, executive director for the Riversport Foundation. “A lot of them trained a good portion of their life for this moment. And it’s important to have a comprehensive selection process so that you can earn points from one event to the next and it’s not one shot in one city.”

Knopp likes the idea of splitting the qualifying into two separate weekends in two cities because of the dynamic nature of whitewater. Each course is unique, so giving competitors two courses to navigate ensures the best rise to the top.

“It’s nice to be able to have the Olympic movement put into two different locations, especially in a sport like whitewater where we can use our venues to lift the sport in the next generation,” Knopp added. “It’s critical to inspire the next generation in the sport and thankfully now we have another venue with Montgomery.”

If You Build it, They Will Come

The Montgomery Whitewater Park is the result of many different government organizations pulling the same rope in the name of improving their city and region. The multi-year project is a massive initiative by the local government meant to improve the quality of life for residents and also be an economic driver.

“The waterpark is basically phase one and there will be a hotel partner on the other end of the campus and then future retail development,” Hepp said of the $85 million project that includes the whitewater facility. “The goal was to get these kinds of events and bring folks to Montgomery who would not have otherwise visited here. … Getting a marquee event like an Olympic Trials, or even one day a world championships, is icing on the cake.”

While Montgomery may be new to of the action that will take place this weekend, Hepp and his team are veterans of the sport. Hepp competed on a U.S. national team as a kid and worked as a director at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte for nine years before helping Knopp open Riversport OKC in 2016. The man who designed the Montgomery facility, Scott Shipley, also designed the OKC Riversport facility.

“I have 100 percent confidence that they will do it right, because Dave and Scott know what they’re doing,” Knopp said. “I would think the community of Montgomery is not unlike Oklahoma City in that we’re building a culture for the sport in both places.”

Both Montgomery and Oklahoma City will not charge spectators to come to the Trials in an effort to grow the sports of whitewater canoe and kayak. Montgomery offers a 1,600-foot-long whitewater channel that has grass alongside to sit along the water. There’s also a 450-seat restaurant that overlooks the channel which includes a patio area.

“This is all new for us because I don’t think any Olympic Trials competition has ever happened in Montgomery,” Hepp said. “So there’s a lot of excitement around town about the event and just about what the event means for what Montgomery residents now have in their backyard.”

Hepp says they’re estimating between 5,000 to 10,000 people will attend over the course of the weekend.

“As an organization, we’re using this event as a kickstart to let everybody know we have kayak programs here,” Hepp said. “It’s very approachable for anybody at any level. This event helps us quite a bit to get the word out about what we have here with this incredible resource for the city.”

OKC Maintains a High Bar

Riversport OKC opened in 2016 and immediately became one of the top kayak/canoe/rowing venues in the world. Riversport hosted the International Canoe Federation’s 2022 Canoe Sprint Super Cup and Stand Up Paddling World Cup and will be the site of the 2026 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. The facility is also a possible host for the canoe slalom competition of the 2028 Olympic Summer Games.

“Who would have expected 20 years ago that Oklahoma City would be hosting an Olympic Trials event in, of all sports, whitewater,” Knopp said. “That is a very powerful thing and a statement about the city that we have been bold enough to do that sort of thing and it’s paying off. I think it’s very affirming to the citizens of Oklahoma City that made this venue possible. To see it bringing the Olympic movement to Oklahoma City and showcasing these athletes who are trying to achieve their dreams, is a very proud moment for the community.”

OKC will not charge the public to attend the Olympic Trials, but there will be premium seating available for purchase if an attendee is so inclined.

“We feel it’s very important for there to be free access because of the community investment in this facility,” Knopp said. “We have a very significant outreach initiative throughout Oklahoma City, so we’re going to be bringing in hundreds of school kids to see the event and hopefully inspire them.”

Riversport will also unveil an Olympic experience interactive fan zone, which will include not only canoe and kayak activations, but other Olympic sports like gymnastics, rock climbing and surfing.

“We’re trying to really showcase the Olympic movement to the community. We look at it as we have to introduce it in a way that they’re going to appreciate the significance of these events,” Knopp said.

While Knopp sings the praises of both Hepp and Shipley, he also has offered some advice to the first-time host in Montgomery.

“Giving the reverence that’s due for the Olympic Trials — which I know they’re going to do — is important because it’s a big deal to host that event in Montgomery after just opening that venue last summer,” Knopp said. “So having the community understand the significance of that is also important. Because Olympic Trials aren’t something you just get regularly.

“If you give the athletes a great experience, they’re going to have a great appreciation for it and that strikes a chord in your community as you’re building the culture of the sport. And that’s going to help Montgomery do bigger and better things.”