KAROL KUDYBA
Sports Writer

The International Paralympic Committee has added the dynamic sport of paracanoeing to its program.

Paracanoeing is expected to make its debut at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.

Paracanoeing, which is exactly like regular canoeing, is confusingly named; unlike parasailing, paragliding and paratrooping, no parachutes of any kind are involved in the sport.

The Rio 2016 Summer Paralympic Games will be the stage of the first para-canoeing event in Paralympic history.

John Edwards, the chair of the International Canoe Federation’s Canoeing for All Committee, was excited for the chance to put competitive canoeing on the global stage that it richly deserves.

“Inclusion onto the Paralympic program is part of CanoeKayak Canada’s continuing efforts to keep re-imagining itself to be a more significant and more successful sport,” said Edwards.

“Many members of CanoeKayak Canada have provided leadership in their clubs, provincially and nationally. They deserve an enormous amount of credit for moving this project ahead so quickly.”

There are many subcategories of the event given the degree of the competitor’s disability. It’s most likely that all of these categories will be added to the Games selection as well.

The addition gives Canada a great chance to add to our number of medals, as Canada hopes to be the first nation to capture paracanoe gold, a feat that would resonate around the globe. Finding an athlete who can be the next Chantal Peticlerc will be the challenge of the CKC.

Anne Merklinger, director of Summer Sports and Own the Podium is excited to be able to continue to publicly fund these athletes and the “Inclusion of triathlon and canoe into the Paralympic program will be a boost to the sports in Canada, and our continued goal to be amongst the best nations in the world in the Paralympic medal standings.”

Although it is almost impossible to see how canoeing can get more popular, Merklinger hopes that “The recognition of paratriathlon and paracanoe strengthens the country’s overall summer Paralympic sport program, and will play a significant role in attracting more Canadians to the sport regardless of age or disability,” commented Merklinger.

“We look forward to working with Triathlon Canada and CanoeKayak Canada to recruit and develop medal winners for Canada.”

Paracanoeing will not be the only new sport at the 2016 Games, as the paratriathlon will also be added to the lineup, bringing the total number of sports up to 22.

The sport joins the other massively popular Paralympic sports such as sitting volleyball, boccia, archery and the confusingly named sport of “athletics” in the summer lineup.

Although the Paralympics are already watched by millions worldwide, one wonders how much more popular they would be if they actually added an element of parachuting to each event.

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