2020 Canoe Slalom World Ranking Merano

With just over 800 days until the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games, it is essential that British Canoeing provide a clear line of sight to all athletes on the process for selecting the strongest Canoe Slalom Team to represent Team GB at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The primary opportunity to qualify the maximum of one boat per event will be in September 2019 at the World Championships in La Seu D’Urgell. This policy draft has been informed by the performance strategy to optimise athlete performance in Tokyo which focuses on 2 key priorities:  Clear focus on the qualification of the maximum boat quota at the 2019 World Championships  Early identification of the Olympic team and reserve in order to prioritise preparation and optimise access to the Tokyo Olympic venue

The proposed policy is very similar in strategy to the policy successfully implemented for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games which saw Olympic boats nominated in 2015. Further learning from that process has informed this proposal on which we are now seeking feedback.

Under these proposals, 2019 senior team selection will see British Canoeing selecting the 2019 senior team which will then compete in further race opportunities to determine who will be nominated as the Olympic boat following the World Championships. The selection process is already in process as Senior World Championship medallists from 2018 can prequalify into the 2019 senior team