The Olympic movement is alive in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City will host the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Whitewater Slalom for both men and women at RIVERSPORT Rapids and Adventures in downtown OKC. Olympic Team Trials for Whitewater will consist of two rounds of competition taking place over two weekends this Spring.
This is the second time in four years Oklahoma City has been selected to host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Whitewater Slalom.
“The Olympic movement is alive in Oklahoma City,” explained executive director Mike Knopp.
“In 2016, the year we opened RIVERSPORT Rapids, we hosted Road to Rio ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro,” said Knopp. “We held the second round of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Whitewater Slalom that year. This time we’re getting both rounds.”
“The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee expects a certain level of excellence,” said Knopp. “We have delivered time and time again.”
“Plus, our proximity to great hotels and restaurants in Bricktown and Downtown made their decision a no-brainer.”
RIVERSPORT’s National High-Performance Center in the Boathouse District has also been selected to hosted Team USA’s Next Olympic Hopeful talent identification program two years in a row.
Well-known paddlers expected to compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Whitewater Slalom include,
Evy Leibfarth – The 16-year-old is a rising international star in whitewater slalom. Evy placed 4th in the Slalom World Championships. She is a top contender and is expected to be given a spot on Team USA’s Whitewater Slalom team.
Casey Eichfeld – Slalom Canoeist Casey Eichfeld is a regular on Team USA. He competed in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympic games.
Joshua Joseph – Another young standout, Joshua Joseph started kayaking at age 6. Now 18 years old, he has two ICF Junior World Championships to his name and dreams of joining Team USA in time for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.