North American Whitewater Open Canoe Slalom Championships

The Whitewater Open Canoe Slalom Championships are coming back to Wausau, Wisconsin for the summer of 2023. Wausau Whitewater invites you to join us Friday through Sunday, June 23-25 for 3 days of racing, with practice water opening up Tuesday through Thursday, June 20-22. OC “Nationals” has long been the premier event in the discipline of open canoe slalom racing, and Wausau has been fortunate to have hosted the event on numerous occasions in the past. Many competitors have voiced great appreciation for many aspects of the course at Wausau, finding the venue to be highly accessible, with paved walking paths paralleling the entire course, and with course features that are challenging yet approachable for a wide variety of skill levels. These factors are crucial to holding an event that we want to be fun and fulfilling for all, whether serious competition among elite paddlers is the focus, or whether the challenge is personal improvement in paddling skills with clear, objective measures helping to define and encourage such gains.
OC Nationals has built a unique history among whitewater slalom events, in that everyone, from highly skilled, long-time racers, to brand new “Citizen Class” racers, enjoys the same access to the course, and in that the community of OC slalom racers has often been described as the most inclusive, welcoming community within the discipline of whitewater slalom racing. It is often the case that highly skilled and highly experienced racers share their enthusiasm and advice, free for the asking, and the rule of thumb at this event defines sociability as among the most highly valued aspects. These factors, and many others, help paddlers in the OC slalom community to realize their goals at Nationals, whether they come for the competition, the experience, the personal improvement, the social atmosphere or all of the aforementioned.
Participants and spectators will find Wausau Whitewater Park to be a very friendly atmosphere, with easy access and viewing along the entire course. Camping is available at the venue, just a short walk from the course, and a wide variety of camping and lodging alternatives are located within reasonable proximity to the course. Visitors will also find a wide selection of dining and shopping opportunities within minutes of the course.
Please visit wausauwhitewater.org for information about the course, for photos and videos of the course, and for registration information, within which you will find a list and schedule of the classes to be held at the event.