The manifestation
The European Canoe Kayak Championship and Olympic
Qualification scheduled at Idroscalo of Milan from
the 15th to the 18th of
may 2008, coincides with the 75° Anniversary of competitive canoe
activity in Italy,
born in Idroscalo.
The event will gather on the milanese basin 40 flatwater canoe kayak national
teams, that will compete,
besides the continental titles, for the last chance
to qualify their crews for Beijing Olympic games;
therefore, besides 700
athletes, about 400 technicians, doctors, physioterapists and coaches, we
will receive,
considering the season and the importance of the event, numerous
supporters, mainly coming from scandinavian
Countries, from Central Europe
and british islands. Paddle Ability teams from 9 Nations will also be participating.
The participating national
teams
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Georgia, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.
The regatta course and
the athletes village
Competitions take place on the Idroscalo basin. The regatta course
is divided into 9 lanes, each one 9 meters
wide, traced out by small
buoys hooked to underwater cables. It’s 1.000 meters long and
the race distances
are 1.000, 500 and 200 meters. Women and Men will
compete. Boats are kayaks K1, K2, K4,
canadian canoes C1, C2, C4,
that means 1,2 or 4 athletes crews. Women only compete in kayak discipline.
Starting lines are blocks automatically controlled by the starter
and connected to the time keeping system.
Finishing line is placed at the tribunes, where also the tower building
is, hosting the jury, the antidoping control,
the pressroom, the
European Canoe Association and International Canoe Federation offices.
The athletes village and the boat storage are organized in the sports
area of Idroscalo, where Idroscalo Club is.
The official program starts:
Lunedì 12 may
press conference with buffet
at Isimbardi Palace, headoffice of the Provincial Administration.
Tuesday 13
may
boat control from
8,00 to 12,00 and from 13,00 to 18,00.
Wednesday
14 may
boat
control
from
8,00
to
12,00
and
from
13,00
to
16,00.
11,00
Team
leaders
meeting
to
define
the
races
programme;
at
the
end,
30
minutes
meeting
dedicated
to
Olympic
games
boat
transport.
At
the
end,
Officials
meeting.
19,00 Opening ceremony, always very well attended as the programme includes,
besides
the teams presentation, a concert, a ballet and a show.
Thursday
15 may
races
from 09,30
to 12,20 and
from 16,00
to 18,22.
Friday
16
may
races
from
11,35
to
13,15
and
from
16,05
to
19,30.
Saturday
17
may
races
from
10,00
to
12,39
and
from
14,35
to
17,30.
Sunday
18
may
races
from
09,50
to
12,00
and
from
14,30
to
17,45.
The
closing
ceremony
will
follow.
On
saturday
and
sunday,
a
philatelic
temporary
service
with
postal
cancellation
will be active at the races secretariat, at the ground floor of the tribunes.
During the same days, the final races will be live and differed broadcasted by
Rai 1 and 2, with particular interest to Olympic qualifications.
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