The new headquarters will be situated on the site where the United States team held the Beijing 2008 Olympic trials for flatwater events and Joe Jacobi, chief executive of USA Canoe/Kayak, said the move represents an important landmark for his organisation.

"USA Canoe/Kayak is launching a new era in paddle sports in the United States, with a focus on enabling US athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence in Olympic, Paralympic and other international competition," he said.

"With the tremendous momentum taking place at the Oklahoma River – from the National High Performance Centre for kayaking and rowing to the MAPS 3 OKC citizen-voted sales tax initiative to fund quality of life projects which include the construction of a whitewater centre and race course improvements to the Oklahoma River – Oklahoma City is the ideal location for the epicentre of our efforts and initiatives to grow paddle sports."

USA Canoe/Kayak will share an office with the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation (OKCBF), allowing the two organisations to collaborate and build on the inherent synergy of shared values and objectives.

A panel consisting of Jacobi, the USA Canoe/Kayak chairman, Bob Lally, the OKCBF Executive Director Mike Knopp and other leaders in the US paddle sports industry recently met to discuss the move as well as USA Canoe/Kayak's commitment to the future of paddle sports in America.

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