Boston 2024 announces Western Massachusetts canoeing venue

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http://www.wcvb.com/news/boston-2024-announces-western-massachusetts-canoeing-venue/33720398



Boston 2024 says other event announcements coming

Boston 2024 announces Western Massachusetts canoeing venue
9:27 PM EDT Jun 22, 2015

BOSTON —Organizers of Boston's bid to host the 2024 summer Olympics proposed on Monday their first western Massachusetts venue, the Deerfield River, to host the canoe slalom and become the site of a paddle sports training center that would be the first of its kind in the Northeast.

"The Deerfield River provides a naturally challenging course for the world's best canoe slalom athletes," said Boston 2024 Partnership CEO Rich Davey. "We have an opportunity to leave behind a world-class training facility that will attract even more kayakers, rafters and paddlers to the region beyond the Games."

A site for the training center and the slalom competition wasn't specified. Boston 2024 cited the river's steep course through Franklin and Berkshire counties, and its controlled water flows from five hydroelectric dams.

Rick Sullivan, president of Western Massachusetts Economic Development Corporation, has said the region had a good chance to host whitewater and long-distance cycling events, and preliminary basketball and volleyball games.