The 2012 season officially started this weekend with the New Zealand Open being the first ICF ranking race of the year (28 – 29 January). After the last ICF slalom committee meeting it was agreed that the Oceania Open (24 – 26 February) will not be part of the World Cup Series 2012. It will instead be ranked as continental championships.

Nevertheless, as always the Oceania Open will be an interesting race with lots of great paddlers from all around the world who are currently in Australia for winter training camps. Official trainings will start on 20 February. More  information can be found here: http://oceania.canoe.org.au/.

Markkleeberg, Germany, was added to the 2012 ICF ranking Series and will be held from 30 March untl 1 April. Then to finish, we will see 5 World Cups this year.

The World Cup season will start in Cardiff, Great Britain, from 8 – 10 June. This will be the first big race held at the venue since the course was opened in 2010. The second World Cup will be held in Pau, France, from 15 – 15 June and the third race will be just a few kilometres from Pau, in Seu d’Urgell, Spain the weekend after from 22 – 24 June. After the Olympic Games, the World Cup Series will continue with a fourth race in Prague, Czech Republic, from 24 – 26 August and the final race in Bratislava, Slovakia, from 31 August until 2 September.

You can find the complete 2012 canoe slalom competition calendar here: www.sportscene.tv/whitewater/canoe-slalom/calendar

In the 2011 World Cup Series overall winners came from 4 races, one more than the 2010 season. There were several outstanding athletes who stood on the podium at least two times in the 4 World Cups.