From April 28 to 30, the best canoe slalom athletes of the Americas will compete for qualification to the Pan American Games at the 2023 Pan American Canoe Slalom Championship. Watch the action live from Brazil on the Panam Sports Channel.
Another exciting qualification event for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games will be live streamed on the Panam Sports Channel this weekend. Brazil will welcome the top canoe slalom athletes of the continent to compete at Tres Coroas for the 2023 Pan American Canoe Slalom Championship that will take place from April 28 to 30.
As hosts of the event, Brazil is ready to show its strength navigating the rapids once more. At the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, Brazil claimed four of the six gold medals in the canoe slalom events and will be favorites once more to top the medal table at this year’s continental championship.
The Brazilian team is led by Ana Satila and Pedro Goncalves, athletes who each won two gold medals at Lima 2019. They are the favorites to become continental champions once more while competing on their home soil.
But Brazil isn’t the only country ready to shine at the only qualification event for the sport. A total of 46 athletes will qualify to Santiago 2023 this weekend, with 36 spots available in the canoe slalom events and another 10 up for grabas in extreme canoe slalom.
Nine countries each will qualify in the men’s and women’s C-1 and K-1 events, while another five will qualify from the extreme canoe slalom tournament. As the Host Nation of Santiago 2023, Chile will automatically qualify in the C-1 and K-1 events if their athletes compete at the continental championship in Brazil. Chile is not guaranteed qualification in the extreme canoe slalom disciplines but could still earn a spot in the competition with a top-5 finish this weekend.
Athletes from the United States will present the biggest challenge for Brazil as the only other country to win golds at Lima 2019. Zachary Lokken will seek qualification in the men’s C-1 event in order to defend his title from Lima 2019, while Evy Leibfarth will look to do the same in the women’s K-1. Leibfarth also earned a silver in the women’s extreme K-1 event at the previous Pan Am Games and is a threat to take the continental title in the event.
Argentina also had a strong showing at Lima 2019, winning three silvers thanks to the brothers Sebastian and Lucas Rossi finishing second in the C-1 and K-1 events, respectively, while Nadia Riquelme added her silver in the women’s K-1 event.
Mexico is led by the two-time bronze medalist at Lima 2019, Sofia Reinoso, who competes in the women’s K-1 and extreme K-1 disciplines. Canada rounded out the list of countries that medaled at Lima 2019 with a silver in women’s C-1 by Lois Betteridge and two bronzes by Keenan Simpson in men’s K-1 and extreme K-1. These athletes hope to make it back to the Pan Am Games with strong performances this weekend in order to improve upon their medals won four years ago.
The Pan American Championship begins on Friday, April 28 at 10am local time (9am ET) with qualifying races in the K-1 and C-1 events. Saturday, April 29 features the semifinals and finals of all of the women’s and men’s K-1 and C-1 races, with the first semifinal beginning at 11am local time (10am ET). The final day of action on Sunday will showcase the best extreme slalom athletes of the continent beginning at 12pm local time (11am ET) with the first heats and competition continues through the afternoon until the champions are crowned around 3pm local time.
Don’t miss a minute of this incredible continental championship and qualifier to Santiago 2023! Watch the event live and for free, only on the Panam Sports Channel. Download the mobile application now to watch anywhere in the world.
