While the bustling city Rio de Janeiro is renowned for its beaches, iconic landmarks and partying, when it comes to the Olympic paddling events, it’s certain to create waves as well.

The whitewater events will be located in a brand new arena called Deodoro, a center for extreme sports and purposely clad together, with the sprint events located in the Copacabana Beach area, within ten minutes of the hotels and beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. The centerpiece of Deodoro will be the X Parks. A venue geared to youth with Mountain Bike, BMX and Canoe-Kayak Slalom. These sports will melt into the most populous and most youthful part of the city. It will be a permanent course, with seating for 8,000 people.

A series of hills and valleys defined the organization and layout of the X-Park complex, which has its facilities connected by landscaped paths treated according to its surroundings. The Mountain Bike circuit track has been mapped out according to the contour of the land curves and its woods, and will have its route completed with the planting of local and exotic species.

The Canoe / Kayak Slalom is also deployed between a set of hills, with its "whitewater" course splicing with an artificial lake. The Mountain Bike Park has part of its grandstands settled on the slopes of an extended excavation, minimizing the impact of permanent built structures, being complemented by temporary structures resting freely on the ground.

Other links:

• Fiesta, Forever: The site of the Olympic sprint course in Rio
• The London 2012 Olympic Games