Wednesday 25 February 2015 17:29, UK
The slalom canoeing World Championships 2015 will be held in England and Olympian Fiona Pennie believes it will improve the chances of Olympic qualification for the Great Britain team.
It has been 20 years since Britain has hosted a championships and for the first time it will be held in Lee Valley White Water Centre.
Pennie, who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is hoping to use her knowledge of the course to strengthen her hopes of returning to the same stage next year in Rio.
"It is really exciting to have the World Championships coming to the course here at Lee Valley," said Pennie.
"I'm already pre-selected for the team this year so I've been able to focus on the team for some time. The World Championships are at the end of what will hopefully be a fine year and then it is hopefully off to Rio.
"Being the home site and home course, it is great to have the world championships here because we will know it so much better.
"Qualifying for the Rio Olympics should be therefore easier to do as we are so experienced on this course and should be able to produce the results.
"If we perform well it will be a good stepping stone on the road to Rio. That is the big thing in the distance but performing well at the World Championships will be a platform for that."
Canoeing is on the rise and is developing popularity since the London Olympics and the success of the home athletes.
And, with Lee Valley still the home of the team and now the host of the world championships, Pennie feels the idea of Olympic legacy is staying strong in the world of canoeing.
"For sure," she replied when asked if canoeing was still benefiting from 2012.
"We were the first venue to hold a race post-Olympics and it has been very good from a legacy perspective, even with the kids taking up the sport. British Canoeing are overseeing a talent ID programme and lots of people are getting to come and see us paddling and training.
"It is really good on the whole but with such a big race happening here, and more exposure for the race and for Britain, we have definitely grabbed the legacy theme with both hands and used it well."
The 2015 ICF Canoe Slalom world championships will be held at Lee Valley White Water Centre on 16 - 20 September 2015.
