Rowing and paddling
Host of the 1976 Olympic Games and many major rowing, canoe kayak and dragon boat events such as the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the World Rowing Championships and Dragon Boat Canada’s Québec Cup, Montréal is a leading international paddling and rowing destination. World-class athletes such as Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski have trained in Montréal.
We have done it before
Montréal has hosted the following top paddling and rowing events:
- 1984 World Rowing Championships
- 1986 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
- 1992 World Rowing Championships
- 2001 28th World Rowing Masters Regatta
- 2008 Canoe Kayak Pan Am and Olympic Qualifier
- 2012 Dragon Boat National Championships
- 2012 Rowing Masters Canadian Championships
- 2021 Canadian Dragon Boat Championships
- Annual Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Team Trials
- Annual Dragon Boat Québec Cup and MTL Challenge Long Distance
Next-level rowing, kayaking, canoeing or whatever floats your boat — Montréal’s got it
Montréal’s cutting-edge paddling and rowing venues
Parc Jean-Drapeau, Olympic Basin
A man-made island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River that offers stunning views of downtown Montréal’s skyline, Parc Jean-Drapeau is home to many international competitions. The park has a world class dragon boat, canoe kayak and rowing facility with a 10,000-seat capacity and is a 12-minute walk from the subway station. Thanks to over $7M in investments, it offers a world-class venue and course that is 2.2 kilometers long and 110 meters wide.
Lachine Canal
A link between the city and nature, the Lachine Canal is located in the southwest section of Montréal. Its 13.5-kilometre urban route runs between the Old Port and Lake Saint-Louis, a navigable waterway punctuated by five locks. Along its banks, a linear green urban park is lined with vestiges of the industrial era when the canal boomed.
Montréal's ecosystem is real and vibrant
- Sports federations are based in the heart of Montréal
- 7 rowing clubs and canoe kayak clubs with more than 1,000 active members, including one of North America’s oldest clubs (Lachine Rowing Club) are based in Montréal and can support or organize events
- We have thousands of volunteers ready to contribute
- Key suppliers are based in the Montréal area
- With its strong relationship with public funding partners, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal and private corporations, Montréal knows how to secure public and commercial funding to support your events