Press release
Denmark is on track. This weekend, the Danish Championship in canoe marathon was staged on the Lake Jels. The organizers are preparing for next year, when the 2023 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships will take place. Paddlers and organizers agree; Denmark will be ready for the Canoe marathon World in 2023.
Staging large, international sporting events is a discipline which, like all other disciplines within sport, must be trained and optimized. During this weekend’s Danish Championships in canoe marathon, the organizers tested the arena and several of the many other event disciplines.
“The Lake of Jels is a completely new arena for marathons. We investigated how we could use its full potential. Now, we stand at the back of championships and are much wiser about both the lake and the area. It bodes well for the Worlds next year, where we, in cooperation with the Municipality of Vejen, the Triangle Area Denmark, and Sport Event Denmark, will host the event,” says Christian Jacobsen, CEO of the Danish Canoe Federation.
ICF and the organizers have a special focus on the design of the venue.
“The Danish organizers are very professional and take pride in being top-prepared. The organizers have used the Danish championships to test the set-up. I am very pleased with what I have seen. Jels Sø will form a beautiful and natural setting for the Worlds in 2023,” says Ruud Heijselaar, who is chairman of the ICF marathon committee of the ICF. “I am also content with the fact that many in the management of the Worlds, also organized the European Championships this July in Silkeborg. It will certainly have an important significance.”
In the coming months, the organizers and the ICF will get serious about the preparations for next year’s worlds – running from August 28 to September 3, 2023.
For centuries, Vikings have been the masters of the water, crossing new frontiers and achieving greatness. In Denmark, the most brave and noble Vikings came from the beautiful village of Jels, and in 2023 this Viking village will inspire a new generation of champions!
By combining tradition, innovation, and partnerships the 2023 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Denmark will bring canoe marathon to a whole new level by offering a once in a lifetime integrated experience for athletes, fans, and the ICF family. Join the Vikings as we bring past legacies to the future!
Imagine celebrating the ICF Canoe Marathon Championships on a real-life Viking territory. Known as “Valhalla” this heavenly space was a central part of the rich and rugged past of Denmark’s Vikings. For over a thousand years, Lake Jels has been the heart of Denmark’s biggest Viking arena and today it welcomes thousands of visitors every year. In 2023, Valhalla will welcome the canoe world and offer a unique first-hand opportunity for athletes and fans to experience and celebrate the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships the Viking way.
Behind the ICF Canoe Championships 2023 is a strong collaboration between the Triangle Area of Denmark, Vejen Municipality, Sports Center Denmark, the Danish Canoe Federation, and Sport Event Denmark.