Dangerous flooding in Prague devastates World Championship venue

Critical flooding situation in the Czech Republic devastates large areas of the country and has seriously affected the venue for the 2013 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championship in Prague, Troja.

Just three months before the start of the championship on the 11th September, the organizers must fight to repair the damage caused by the rising water as it swept through the world class slalom course and surrounding facilities.

"We've had to move all of the equipment from the basement of the boathouse to the second floor. The whole slalom course is submerged under flood water," described Jiri Rohan, the director of the local organizing committee.

There are still vivid memories of the 2002 flooding, when the situation was exceptionally critical with a daunting 5,500 cubic meter flow rate. Currently the flow rate is around 2,000 cubic meters, but with further rain possible the venue is now, seriously, at the mercy of the weather.

Jiri Rohan added, "Actually, there is damage to the tribunes, poles, ropes, gates and of both bridges above the channel. Now, all is about how high the water will rise. In the boathouse, the basement is already under the water. We all hope that the water will not climb up to the first floor."

He continued, "The Prognosis is very bad. We wait until the Vlatava cascade is open and then we will see how much it will rise. I think it won´t reach the same levels as 2002, but unfortunately it will be very similar to it. The crucial factor is if the rain stops."

The Transportation Company of Prague started to close particular metro stations. Fortunately, this happened after most of the competitors, who are using the venue for training, had travelled to Krakow for the upcoming European canoe slalom championships that run from the 6th -8th June.

But the real fight for the world championships starts now on the river of Vltava. The slalom course had just reopened after reconstruction of the bottom set of gates in November 2012. The next stage of reconstruction works was planned to start now, but is on hold until the conditions change.

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