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LISTEN: GPB’s Orlando Montoya speaks with champion kayaker Mason Hargrove about the announcement that world-class championship events are headed to Columbus, Ga.
TRANSCRIPT
Orlando Montoya: The world governing body for canoe and kayak sports has selected Columbus as the host for the 2028 Canoe Freestyle World Cup and 2029 Canoe Freestyle World Championship. The Switzerland-based International Canoe Federation today also designated the city as its first-ever “center of excellence,” promising new opportunities for amateur and elite competitors. Columbus has emerged as a leader in whitewater sports over the last 12 years, beginning with the multi-million dollar restoration and transformation of the Chattahoochee River. I asked a top athlete in the sport to talk about today’s announcement. He is Team USA kayaker, junior world champion, vice world cup champion, and Columbus area resident Mason Hargrove.
Mason Hargrove: I am from Phoenix City, Ala., and Columbus, Ga, so I’ve grown up in this hometown my entire life. And to see this whitewater course grow from nothing to being the center of whitewater kayaking and whitewater freestyle for North America is absolutely amazing.
Orlando Montoya: How would you describe kayaking in Columbus?…