U.S. National Whitewater Center

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The U.S. National Whitewater Center is a non-profit outdoor recreation facility for whitewater rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. The USNWC is located on 307 acres of land adjacent to the Catawba River, near the intersection of Hawfield Road and Charlie Hipp Road in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (just outside of Charlotte).

Inspired by the Penrith Whitewater Stadium built for the 2000 Olympics the USNWC will be an official Olympic training center for whitewater slalom racing, as well as the new home to USA Canoe and Kayak.

The center, with the world's largest and most complex recirculating artificial whitewater river, opened for public fee-based use in August 2006.

1 USNWC Details
2 Misc.
3 Events
4 References
5 External links

[edit] USNWC Details

The park contains abouts 12 million gallons of water. ^[1] The whitewater portion of the river has a total of 4000 linear feet of channel divided among the three courses. These channels contain Class III and IV rapids that can be navigated via canoe, kayak or a guided raft. A fourth channel without rapids provides for flatwater paddling. A 110-foot conveyor lifts boats, complete with paddlers, from the bottom back to the Upper Pond in 60 seconds in a manner similar to a T-bar lift or a rope tow for skiers.^[2]

Land facilities now include about 6 miles of wooded trails for mountain biking.^[3] Opening later will be:

wooded trails for hiking and trail running
a high ropes course
an elaborate climbing wall with numerous routes
a stage for live entertainment and special events

[edit] Misc.

The whitewater center has been subject to public controversy from residents of West Mecklenburg, one boiling over to residents blocking access to the construction site. This has caused many delays in the process. In June of 2006 the restless neighbors and the National Whitewater Center came to an agreement about the property in question, and construction was able to be continued.

[edit] Events

2006 ACA Open Canoe Slalom National Championships, August 18-20, 2006 (this event was moved to the NOC because the USNWC did not open in time.[1])
Whitewater Slalom US National Championships, August 25-26th, 2006 (as of Aug 18th, this event is still scheduled at the USNWC.[2])