Since the Chesapeake Boathouse opened in 2006, Oklahoma City has built an elite complex on the Oklahoma River which is now cemented in American history. Even before RIVERSPORT OKC had its grand opening in 2016, the Boathouse District has served as an official US Olympic and Paralympic Training Site since 2009. The U.S. Olympic Team Trials have been held on the Oklahoma River since 2016, with athletes competing in rowing, canoe and kayak competitions. In March of 2025, it was announced that the RIVERSPORT Rapids would be the official venue for the Canoe Slalom competitions in the 2028 Olympic Games.
Last week, Oklahoma City and RIVERSPORT OKC hosted the 2026 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, allowing over 300 athletes from 50 countries their first opportunity to compete on our water and what will be the Olympic course. The International Canoe Federation, or IFC, is the international governing body for the sport of Canoe Slalom. Three events were held: Canoe Slalom, Kayak Slalom and Kayak Cross. According to RIVERSPORT’s website, the Canoe Slalom is when the competitor “kneels in a single-bladed canoe, navigating a whitewater course through downstream and upstream gates with precision and speed.” In the Kayak Slalom event, “paddlers sit in kayaks using double-bladed paddles to race a whitewater course, maneuvering cleanly through challenging sequences.” The Kayak Cross is when “four kayakers launch from an elevated ramp, battling head-to-head through gates and a required mid-course roll in an all-out sprint to the finish.”
After an incredible opening celebration, each day of the competition was devoted to an individual event, with both men and women paddling their way for a chance at the gold medal. The first medal ceremony of the championship was Women’s Kayak Slalom, with Australian Jessica Fox taking the gold—adding to her collection of six previous Olympic medals, three of which are gold. The only American to win in any event was Evy Leibfarth, who took home the silver medal. Leibfarth also won the bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics and is going to be a star to watch out for in the 2028 Olympic Games.
The Men’s Kayak Slalom’s gold medal was awarded to Czech athlete Jakub Krejci. Spain’s Miquel Trave won the gold in Men’s Canoe Slalom, while the Women’s Canoe Slalom gold went to Czech paddler Tereza Kneblova. Switzerland’s Alena Marx took the gold in the Women’s Kayak Cross event and Czechia won its third medal of the games in the Men’s Kayak Cross competition with winner Vit Prindis.
The 2026 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championship also featured daily live music on two different stages, highlighting some of Oklahoma’s most talented musicians performing a wide variety of genres. Everything from country to Latin to hip-hop was showcased for athletes of the world to enjoy. There was even a performance by Lyric Theatre, as it is Oklahoma’s Official State Theatre.
The Route 66 Centennial Car Show was also a part of the World Championships, with a new lineup of vehicles each day, relaying the Route 66 story. Trucks, lowriders, motorcycles, classic cars, exotic vehicles and American muscle cars were all brought to the Boathouse District to celebrate the past, present and future of America’s highway, Route 66.
Following the closing ceremony of the 2026 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championship, the International Canoe Federation officially announced its new name—Paddle Worldwide. Mayor David Holt was also awarded the Order of Merit, which is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. Reflecting on last week’s championship, Mayor Holt said “this was our city’s first hosting of a world championship in a perennial Olympic sport. It couldn’t have gone better and there is no question that we have solidified our place as one of the paddlesport capitals of the world. And I think it was a great introduction for many of our residents to canoe slalom, and a great preview of the Olympics.”
