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The Adventure Zone

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Photo courtesy the Alberta Whitewater Association (AWA)

Residents of Kananaskis Country take their whitewater seriously, which is why this summer, it's all good for Canadian competitive paddlers. On August 11-14, the Alberta Whitewater Association (AWA) welcomes participants to the 2005 Canadian Whitewater Championships at Canoe Meadows on the Kananaskis River.

Since 2001, when the Nationals were last held here, the Lower Kananaskis River Users Association has moved mountains to upgrade and fine-tune the river's whitewater features, establishing a permanent slalom site and strategically placing rocks and boulders to create manmade rapids, holes and waves. It's all aimed at providing a big buzz for thrill-hungry paddlers while eliminating the long lineups at this ultra-hot kayaking destination.

The dam-controlled Kananaskis is a crystal-clear, glacier-fed Class II river (with straightforward rapids and wide, clear channels) that boasts Class III features —irregular waves, strong eddies and powerful currents. Thursday's Wildwater Race, a classic downriver event that is all about speed, will be a tasty introduction to the new and improved Kananaskis River. And competitors from all classes in the weekend's 400-metre slalom races will need strength, agility, precision and lightning-quick reflexes to negotiate the course's roughly 20 gates. Sunday wraps it up with the Super Sprint competition — a short, intense wildwater race. Awards will follow the competitions with a gala banquet at nearby Boundary Ranch on Saturday night.

This region of Alberta is famous for its pristine beauty, which is why organizers expect to attract record numbers of observers and participants to the 2005 Canadian Whitewater Championships. For more information about scheduling, attractions and accommodation, visit www.albertawhitewater.ca