Rio Mayor Opens 2016 Canoe Slalom Venue Insisting Games Construction is on Time

October 1, 2015

By Christian Radnedge

With less than a year to go until the 2016 Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes opened the canoe slalom venue at Deodoro Olympic Park this week and promised other venues would be finished on time.

Despite the venue being only 85 percent complete, organisers were keen to get water in the canoe slalom course so that preparations can begin for a test event in November.

More than 8,000 temporary seats will be added to the venue before the Games next year.

Paes also confirmed that the tennis and cycling facilities will be finished on time despite early delays.

“The works will be ready for the test event; the deadlines are the test event deadline,” Paes said.

“Tennis is going to be in December, track cycling is going to be in March, so everything will be on time.”

But one thing that is not going to be constructed is a roof for the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre in the Barra region of Rio.

A temporary cover was believed to be preferred by swimming’s governing body FINA.

But with estimates of such a structure costing up to $4.9 billion, Paes said it was an expense Rio could not afford to justify.

Watch our latest episode of the Road to Rio 2016 Show on iSportconnect TV which features more information on this story and much more.