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What is the project all about?
Rapidly to London and Beyond is a Melbourne-based canoe slalom talent search project, endorsed and funded by the Australian Institute of Sport and Australian Canoeing. Canoe slalom is an exciting and dynamic sport that requires athletes to test themselves against nature. Out on the river, you need speed, agility and plenty of guts. A race consists of 2 runs down a rapid on a river, with the fastest time (both runs combined) being the winner. On the rapid, each competitor must negotiate between 18 and 25 gates, with time penalties being incurred for touches or for missing a gate.
The ultimate aim of the project is to increase the number of medals that Australia wins in this Olympic sport. The kids we select now, will be provided with quality equipment and will be given high level coaching for up to two years. By this time, we hope that they will be ready to be selected onto the junior national development teams. By 2010 they should be at a level to win medals at the junior world championships.
The other and just as important aim is to increase participation in the sport as a whole. Canoe slalom is a small, yet exciting sport which generally only captures the attention of the nation every four years at the Olympic Games. However a project like this can help bring it into the public eye. Increased participation leads to better quality competition and in turn, higher achieving athletes. Plus everyone gets to have great fun at the same time!
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