It’s in the numbers! Nova Scotia is a hot bed for canoeing in Canada.

• 42% of nationally registered paddlers reside in Nova Scotia
• 20% of the National Canoe Clubs are in Nova Scotia
• 75% of the 2007 Canadian Junior World Team was comprised of Nova Scotia Athletes.
• 4 Nova Scotian CanoeKayak athletes were on the 2004 Olympic Team.
• Canada introduced the “First Nation” Canoe to the world in the early 1900’s
• The concentration of clubs and athletes on Lake Banook can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
• Nova Scotia canoe Athletes have won more medals in the Canada Summer Games than all other Nova Scotia sports combined
• The only event in the Olympics named after a country is the Canadian singles and tandem canoe races.
• Canoeing is considered one of Canada’s top amateur sports based on Olympic and World Championship results

What Canoe09 will mean:

Participants from 75 countries will be in Nova Scotia to Compete in the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships

• Lake Banook and the Halifax Regional Municipality will host more than 1000 athletes and support staff
• Up to 800 volunteers will be needed to staff Canoe 09
• 100,000 spectators will take in the 5 day event and 12 million others will watch the action on television
• For the first time medal races will be held for athletes with cognitive and physical disabilities 
• 15-20 developing countries will participate in a International Canoe Federation (ICF) Development Camp 6 days before the competition
• A Special FUN ZONE will be held for the first time ever for Nova Scotia Canoe Club Athletes to cheer on the many countries and athletes.
• 14 countries, 40 athletes and 4 coaches will participate in women’s canoe camp and exhibition races
• Prince Albert Road will be transformed into an exciting festival of concerts, fireworks, vendor kiosks, entertainment tents, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.
• An estimated 10-million dollars to the provincial economy