Canoe Slalom

Cardiff, in partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government, is to develop a canoe slalom course here at CISV.

Costing an estimated £13.3 million, it will provide Wales with the UK's first Olympic-standard pumped water canoe slalom course.

A centre of excellence, completed well in advance of the 2012 Olympic games, it will enable Cardiff to offer advance training facilities for UK athletes and competitors from visiting countries.

Using moveable barriers within the concrete framework to provide a range of standards from recreational to full international and Olympic-standard competition, it is expected to attract 50,000 elite canoeists and leisure users per year.

Preliminary designs from French company Hydro Stadium, creators of the courses for the Olympic Games at Sydney, Athens and Beijing, were developed by contractors Dean and Dyball.

Work started on site 29th September 2008 and completion is expected early in 2010.