The International Canoe Federation will launch an exciting new canoe sprint event next week featuring record prize money and some of the biggest names in the sport, as it looks to take the Olympic discipline to new audiences and continue its growth around the world.

The Canoe Sprint Pre-Super Cup in Linyi, China, and the Sprint Super Cup in Barnaul, Russia, has attracted major sponsors, live television coverage, and the enthusiastic support of the paddling community.

Among the athletes competing will be current world champions Fernando Pimenta, of Portugal, and Laurence Vincent-Lapoint, of Canada.

A host of other Olympic and world championship medallists will line-up in the unique event, featuring races over 350 metres.

The best 200 metre paddlers on the planet will line-up against the best 500 and 1000 metre canoeists, in a battle which is guaranteed to set hearts racing.

ICF Canoe Sprint Chairman, Thomas Konietzko, said the Pre-Super Cup and Sprint Super Cup are important additions to the calendar.

“Not only will these events provide opportunities for our best athletes to attain more valuable race experience and to compete for generous prizemoney, they will also help the growth of our sport,” Konietzko said.

“China and Russia are going to be fantastic hosts, we have the support of some fantastic sponsors, and will be showing the events live on television in countries around the world.

“Importantly, we are taking our sport to new venues, and closer to the community. That is the key to future growth of any sport – excitement, accessibility and understanding what the public wants.”

The 2018 Canoe Sprint Pre-Super Cup will be held in Linyi on September 18, and the athletes will then head to Barnaul for the 2018 Canoe Sprint Super Cup on September 21-22.

Olympic medallists Tom Liebscher of Germany, Maxime Beaumont of France, and Marta Walczykiewicz of Poland are among the athletes looking to prove themselves over the new distance of 350 metres.

“Starting a new event always has its risks, but we are confident that with the support already being shown by the athletes, the sponsors, the hosts and the media, that this is a format which will capture people’s imagination,” Konietzko said.

“It is significant that both these events will be held in the Asian region, as this is an area of enormous growth for us. The canoe sprint events at the Asian Games were very successful, and this is an important next step.

“It’s also encouraging that several cities have already contacted us, keen to host a Sprint Super Cup next year.”

Details on how and where to watch the Pre-Super Cup and the Sprint Super Cup will be released soon.