ST. FRANCIS RIVER SITE OF OLYMPIC WHITEWATER TRIALS

FREDERICKTOWN -- The roaring, boulder-strewn St. Francis River is a delight for canoe and kayak enthusiasts.

It also is expected to draw the attention of as many as 5,000 spectators on March 18 and 19 when the Millstream Gardens Conservation Area on the river near Fredericktown plays host to the mid-continent qualifier, part of the competition to select the U.S. whitewater canoe and kayak team for the summer Olympics in Australia.

It is one of the "final four" qualifier sites. The others are in California, Texas and North Carolina.

From 100 to 200 competitors are expected for the whitewater races, with winners competing in finals April 6 through 9 on the Ocoee River in Tennessee for the right to represent the United States.

The Missouri Division of Tourism will spend $50,000 to advertise the whitewater competition held in conjunction with the 33rd annual Missouri Whitewater Championships along the slalom river route.

"It is a big deal for the state," said Paul Zemitzsch of St. Louis, a promotions coordinator helping to market the event.

"It really is neat," he said. "It is a beautiful setting. It will bring dollars into the state, which is important."

If all goes well, the site on the St. Francis River could be the site of future national competitions, said Zemitzsch.

Bob Smith, special projects administrator for the Missouri Division of Tourism, said a tourist spends $98 a day on average at a multi-day event. That includes meals, lodging and other expenses.

The Olympic qualifying competition is expected to draw competitors from around the country. It will be held Saturday, beginning around 9 a.m. and running into the afternoon, said Dave Kovar, race director for the Missouri Whitewater Association. The association has about 400 members, ranging from recreational to competitive paddlers.

The state competition will begin on Saturday afternoon and extend into Sunday when the open classes are held.

Kovar said spectators on Sunday will see some of the competitors' canoes and kayaks capsize.

"People are down there to watch the carnage," he said.

Kovar is concerned about the level of the river. If it is too low, the competition would be postponed until March 25 when it would be held at Six Flags Amusement Park's Thunder River in Eureka.

"I was probably the happiest man in Missouri last week when it rained and the St. Francis came up," said Kovar, who loves to take his kayak on the roaring river.

The river drops 20 to 30 feet in the rapids in one rocky stretch. It's a popular spot to watch the races, he said. Spectators sit on the boulders on either side of the river.

Kovar plans to compete in the state races and may compete in the Olympic qualifier.

The race course extends 200 yards and involves 25 gates that hang above the river.

Kovar said kayaks and canoes aren't the same. A kayak is a deck boat in which the participant's legs are pointed forward and a two-blade paddle is used.

Canoes can be enclosed or open, but competitors kneel in canoes and use a one-blade paddle.

The state competition annually brings several thousand spectators, but the Olympic qualifier could double the size of the crowd.

Parking will be at a premium.

"I don't know where they will put all the cars," said local banker Todd Kline, past president of the Fredericktown Chamber of Commerce.

He said the event will provide an economic boost to the area, with "some farmers fill up their 40-acre fields with cars."

Kline said kayak racing on the St. Francis River has grown over the years as "a lot of people are into these kinds of extreme sports."

The event is certain to fill up Fredericktown's 40-room motel and other motels in the area, he said.

"Some people bring their camper trailers down," he said.

The area on the St. Francis River, about eight miles west of Fredericktown, is one of the only whitewater places in the state, Kline said, adding that the recent rains have helped.

"Things are running pretty flush right now," he said.

History of the Olympic sport

Canoe/kayak made its first Olympic appearance as a demonstration sport in 1924 during the eighth Olympiad in Paris.

The International Olympic Committee rejected canoeing as an Olympic sport in the ninth and 10th Olympiads because only six nations participated in canoeing competitions.

It was added as a full medal sport in 1936 when 20 nations competed in nine events.

Women's events were added in 1948.