Intro
Photo: Jessica Fox of Team Australia competes during the Women's Canoe Slalom Semi-final. Image credit Adam Pretty/Getty Images
The State Government contributed $300,000 through the State Sporting Infrastructure Fund to assist in the development of the Ascot course last year.
The slalom course will be a training facility where introductory and skills courses can be run all year round, used in conjunction with advanced white water locations such as the Avon River through Walyunga National Park.
The project involved the redevelopment of existing facilities at the site which are part of the Ascot Kayak Club, the State's largest paddling club.
Canoe slalom is all about speed and agility on a white water course. Competitors must navigate through gates in a specific order and direction and incur a penalty for touching gates or missing them.
The sport's profile has had a recent boost in Australia following the gold medal success of slalom canoeist Jessica Fox at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
As well as being a State-level training course, the new facility will have capacity to host slalom competition events.
Fundraising by the Ascot Kayak Club and Paddle WA contributed to the balance of the $350,000 project.