The International Canoe Federation has given full marks to the venue for the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Samarkand, Uzbekistan following a site inspection.
Uzbekistan is preparing to stage the ICF flagship event for the first time with races due to be held from August 23 to 25.
Bálint Vékássy, Global Director of Events at the ICF, visited the Rowing and Canoeing Race Course in Samarkand on January 22 and 23, where he met Uzbek officials to discuss preparations for the competition.
Bobur Yusupov, Chair of the Host Organizing Committee, Zukhra Abdullaeva, Secretary of the HOC, and Tatyana Mamatkulova, Vice President of the Uzbekistan Canoe Federation, welcomed Vékássy to the site before giving him a tour of the course.
Accommodation, food services, the overlay for the venue and visas were among the topics discussed during the two-day site visit.
”The venue is outstanding and the whole set up is really nice,” said Mr Vékássy.
“It was a very positive visit.
“They really want to do well so they are putting their heart into it.
“I did highlight to them that the first impression is extremely important.
“This is their time to shine.”
The World Championships will feature non-Olympic races and take place two weeks after the staging of Canoe Sprint at the Olympics in Paris.
Toshi Furuya, Chair of the ICF Canoe Sprint Committee, said he was looking forward to the World Championships in Samarkand.
“Uzbekistan is offering fantastic facilities which will provide a great platform for our athletes to produce their very best performances,” said Mr Furuya, who visited the venue in April last year.
“It is an exciting time for Uzbekistan to host the World Championships so soon after the Paris Olympics and I am sure they will deliver a great event.”
Recap of the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Duisburg
