U.S. National Whitewater Center

The U.S. National Whitewater Center is a non-profit outdoor recreation facility for whitewater rafting, canoeing, and kayaking which opened for public fee-based use on November 4th, 2006.The Center is located on convert|307|acre|km2 of land adjacent to the Catawba River, near the intersection of Hawfield Road and Moores Chapel Road in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (just outside of Charlotte).

The creators of the Center were inspired by the Penrith Whitewater Stadium built for the 2000 Olympics. The Center's primary feature is the world's largest and most complex recirculating artificial whitewater river. The river was designed by three-time Olympian Scott Shipley.

USA Canoe/Kayak, the National Governing Body for nine canoe and kayak racing sports, moved its headquarters to the nearby city of Charlotte in 2003. In 2007, the USNWC became an official Olympic Training Site for whitewater slalom racing.

USNWC Details

The park contains over 12 million gallons of water. [cite news | last =WHITMIRE | first =TIM
title =$32 million, 12 million gallons bring rapids to Charlotte
work =The Telegraph | publisher =Associated Press | date =2006-07-01
url =http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/sports/colleges/mercer/14944547.htm
accessdate =2006-08-23 ] The whitewater portion of the river has a total of 4000 linear feet of channel divided among the three courses. These channels contain Class II to IV rapids that can be navigated via canoe, kayak or a guided raft. River access to the Catawba provides for flatwater paddling. A convert|110|ft|m|sing=on conveyor lifts boats, complete with paddlers, from the bottom back to the Upper Pond in 60 seconds in a manner similar to a T-bar lift or a rope tow for skiers. [cite web
title=World's Largest Whitewater Park | last =Greenstein | first =Leah
publisher =WetDawg | url=http://www.wetdawg.com/RSS/B2/htdocs/artman/show_article.php/whitewater/2006/05/whitewater.white_park.html | accessdate=2006-08-23]

In addition to the whitewater courses, there are numerous land facilities including about convert|11|mi|km of wooded trails for mountain biking, hiking and trail running, a high ropes course, an elaborate climbing wall with numerous routes, a stage for live entertainment and special events. [cite web
title =USNWC Homepage
publisher =Ettain Group
url =http://www.usnwc.org
accessdate =2007-05-04]

Events

* [http://2006acaslalomnationals.home.comcast.net 2006 ACA Open Canoe Slalom National Championships] , August 18-20, 2006 (this event was moved to the [http://www.noc.com/ NOC] because the USNWC did not open in time. [http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060815/SPORTS/60814043/-1/archives] )
* [http://www.cathyhearn.com/?q=gallery&g2_itemId=553 Whitewater Slalom US National Championships] , August 25-26th, 2006.

References

External links

*en icon [http://www.usnwc.org U.S. National Whitewater Center]
*en icon [http://www.charlottesports.org/html/facility_display.asp?id=33 Charlotte Sports Commission]
* [http://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/0606/new_whitewaterpark.html Even Better Than the Real Thing] - Article in Men's Journal, June 2006.