Today officially marks 200 days to go until the 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships, which will be held at Penrith Whitewater Stadium from September 29 to October 4.
To mark the occasion, Paddle Australia will today (Thursday, March 13) unveil its 10-strong team that will have the opportunity to represent Australia on home soil in front of what is expected to be sold out crowds.
The first release of tickets to the public were released today, with prices starting from $15 for children and $30 for adults.
In some further good news, Paddle Australia has announced Hydrostadium as the official whitewater partner of the World Championships.
The partnership marks a significant milestone, as it comes 25 years after the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, where engineers from Hydrostadium played a pivotal role in designing and constructing the Penrith Whitewater course.
The construction of the Whitewater Stadium was managed by Pacific Power International and funded by the NSW Government, Penrith City Council and the International Canoe Federation, ensuring the venue became a world-class facility for the sport.
Following the Olympics, Hydrostadium was established and has continued to be a global leader in whitewater engineering.
In addition to its event partnership with Paddle Australia, Hydrostadium will supply replacement obstacles for the stadium’s whitewater course, ensuring it remains one of the best in the world for elite competition.
These obstacles – exclusive to Hydrostadium – have demonstrated exceptional durability and performances over 25 years. The upgrades will not only benefit high-performance slalom athletes, but also enhance the venue’s recreational paddling, rafting and whitewater rescue training programs.
“I remember in 1997 standing in what was a field at the time imagining a whitewater course here in Penrith for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” said Richard Fox, Head of the Host Organising Committee.
“With the help of Hydrostadium and Electricité de France – EDF – it’s mother company, and many others, we were able to construct this beautiful venue, which 25 years on, beyond the Games, is still standing tall.”
“We’re really proud of that journey, and we’re really excited to partner with Hydrostadium, which was born at that time, to be collaborating around the 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships with them as a whitewater partner for our sport.
“I see it as the beginning for many great things to come for our sport, and for our venue.”
Hydrostadium CEO Stanislas Lequiller said he was thrilled to sign the partnership with Paddle Australia.
“25 years ago Hydrostadium was already here to design this stadium, and we are proud to be back again. This means a lot to us to still be part of the future of the stadium in signing this agreement today,” he said.
“Penrith Whitewater Stadium was built 25 years ago, and is still one of the best whitewater parks in the world. It shows that we can design and build sustainable and relevant projects. This is how we want to keep working with our partners.”
Nathan Taylor
Nathan Taylor is the Weekender's Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.