Segre Olympic Park facts for kids
The Parc Olímpic del Segre is a special place in La Seu d'Urgell, Catalonia, Spain. It is a famous center for canoeing and kayaking. This park was built in 1990. It was used for the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona.
The park has a main whitewater course. It is 300 meters (about 984 feet) long. The water drops 6.5 meters (about 21 feet) from start to finish. This creates a fast, exciting slope for athletes.
Water for the course comes from the Segre River. A special dam upstream helps guide the river's natural flow into the course. If the river water is low, large pumps can add more water. These four pumps can add up to 12 cubic meters of water per second. This makes sure the course always has enough water, up to 17.5 cubic meters per second.
When the course is not in use, or if there is too much natural river water, the pumps work differently. They can run backward like turbines. This helps to create electricity for the nearby town.
There is also a shorter course for beginners. It is 130 meters (about 426 feet) long. The water drops 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) on this course. It is a gentler slope, perfect for learning. The water flow here is between 3 and 10 cubic meters per second.
The park also features a long, flat canal. This canal is 650 meters (about 2,132 feet) long. It carries water from the river to the whitewater course. This calm canal is used for training and competitions in flatwater canoeing and kayaking.
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World Championships at the Park
The Parc Olímpic del Segre has hosted major international events. It is a top spot for canoe slalom competitions.
ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
The park has hosted the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships three times. These big events bring the best canoe and kayak athletes from around the world.
- 1999
- 2009
- 2019
Whitewater Course Map
See also
In Spanish: Parque Olímpico del Segre para niños
