The model course, built to a scale of 1:13, is made from waterproof sheet steel lined plywood onto which obstacles can be magnetically placed.

The head of the design project is four-time C2 world champion Pollert Jr while his father Pollert Sr, President of the Czech Canoe Federation, is acting as a consultant on the project.

Pollert senior, a three-time C2 canoe world champion, also acted as a consultant on the design of the white water slalom course at Sydney 2000. 

The course for Rio will have a force of 12 cubic metres per second but as Pollert Jr explained: "In our model we have 19.6 litres per second, which is a scaled equivalent.

"This ensures the waves occur in the same place as in the real course."

European champion Jiří Prskavec gets lowered into position to test out the model design of the white water canoe slalom course set to be used for Rio 2016 ©Czech Olympic Committee



Reigning K1 European champion Jiří Prskavec was the first to test out the news course in Prague under the watchful eye of Jean-Michel Prono, chairman of the International Cane Federation's Canoe Slalom Committee.

"I'm the first person to ride the Olympic course for Rio and no-one can take this first away from me," said an excited Prskavec.

Once finished, the white water slalom course will be located in the X Park as part of the Deodoro Sports Complex which is one of several multi-sport clusters being built for the Games in Rio.

The possibility of staging the canoe slalom events at the Iguaçu Falls 700 miles from Rio had been raised last year in what was deemed a cost-cutting measure but the idea was subsequently scrapped by organisers

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
October 2013: Rio 2016 confirms that canoe slalom will stay in the city
September 2013: Exclusive: Rio 2016 canoe slalom to stay in the mainstream
September 2013: Canoe-slalom fears being pushed to the Rio 2016 margins
September 2013: Exclusive: Rio 2016 considers moving canoe slalom to distant venue