The opening ceremony of the 2025 Best Athletes Cup in Canoe Sprint took place at the rowing center in Zaslavl, Belarus, BelTA has learned.
The five-day event will feature more than 230 athletes from Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China. The athletes will compete in 23 medal events.
“Canoe sprint is a historically Belarusian sport, whose representatives have worthily represented Belarus at major tournaments for many years. Today, we are facing a difficult situation in the world sport, but thanks to the decision made at last year's joint board of the sports ministries of Belarus and Russia, we have the opportunity to hold such big tournaments,” Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk said. “Many thanks to the staff of the rowing center in Zaslavl for great organization of the event.”
“These competitions are very important, since they let our athletes compete with athletes from other countries on the home ground. Together with our foreign colleagues, we planned the calendar so that this event would become one of the rehearsals ahead of the 2025 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships,” First Deputy Sports and Tourism Minister Aleksandr Dorokhovich said.
“We are hosting the Best Athletes Cup in Canoe Sprint for the first time. I hope this tournament will become a regular event. I thank all the participants from other countries who received our invitation to take part. I would like to wish fair competition to the athletes ang great emotions to fans,” NOC Vice President Dzmitry Dauhalionak added.
