U.S. National Whitewater Center
Encyclopedia
The U.S. National Whitewater Center is a non-profit outdoor recreation and athletic training facility for whitewater rafting, kayaking
, canoeing
, rock climbing
, mountain biking
and hiking
which opened to the public on November 4th, 2006.
The Center is located in Charlotte on approximately 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land adjacent to the Catawba River
. The USNWC is an official Olympic
Training Site for whitewater slalom
racing.
The creators of the Center were inspired by the Penrith Whitewater Stadium
built for the 2000 Olympics. The Center's primary feature is the world's largest and most complex recirculating artificial whitewater
river. The facility cost $38 million to build and costs $6.8 million per year to operate. The river channels were designed by three-time Olympian Scott Shipley
.
Each channel is watered by three of the seven 680-horsepower pumps. Six pumps will water both channels simultaneously. The electricity cost of each pump is about $45 per hour. When only one channel is used, an inflated barrier rises up from the bottom to prevent water from entering the unused channel. Since both channels have the same drop, 6.4 metres (21 ft), the extra length of the long channel gives it a gentler slope.
Most of the water diverters are natural boulders cemented in place, but there is some use of moveable plastic bollards attached to the bottom. There are five barn door diverters hinged to the channel sides and positioned by hydraulic pistons, two above the M-Wave on the long channel, and three in the slalom competition channel. The M-Wave is designed to replicate the famous M-Wave 38.445°N 107.783°W in an irrigation channel near Montrose, Colorado.
The National Office of USA Canoe/Kayak, which manages the US canoe and kayak Olympic teams, is located in Charlotte because of its proximity to the USNWC. In April 2011, the team trials for the US national whitewater team were held at USNWC.
Land Sports
Aerial Sports
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
which opened to the public on November 4th, 2006.
The Center is located in Charlotte on approximately 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land adjacent to the Catawba River
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
. The USNWC is an official Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Training Site for whitewater slalom
Slalom canoeing
Whitewater Slalom is a competitive sport where the aim is to navigate a decked canoe or kayak through a course of hanging gates on river rapids in the fastest time possible. It is one of the two kayak and canoeing disciplines at the Summer Olympics, and is referred to by the International Olympic...
racing.
Penrith Whitewater Stadium
The Penrith Whitewater Stadium is located near Sydney, Australia. It is an artificial whitewater sporting facility which hosted the canoe/kayak slalom events at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. The facility is part of the Penrith Lakes Scheme, which is converting open-pit sand and gravel mines...
built for the 2000 Olympics. The Center's primary feature is the world's largest and most complex recirculating artificial whitewater
Artificial whitewater
An artificial whitewater course is a site for whitewater canoeing, whitewater kayaking, whitewater racing, whitewater rafting, playboating and slalom canoeing with artificially generated rapids.-Flow diversion:...
river. The facility cost $38 million to build and costs $6.8 million per year to operate. The river channels were designed by three-time Olympian Scott Shipley
Scott Shipley
Scott Shipley is an American slalom canoer who competed from the early 1990s to the early 2000s. He won three silver medals in the K-1 event at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, earning them in 1995, 1997, and 1999....
.
Whitewater channels
The Center's recirculating river is filled with 12 million gallons of well water, which is cleaned every 24 hours by a filtration and ultraviolet system. The whitewater portion of the river has a total of 3750 feet (1,143 m) of channel divided between two channels: the Olympic-standard slalom competition channel and the longer wilderness channel, which splits around an island at the top. The rapids are Class II to IV and can be navigated via canoe, kayak or a guided raft. The different channels are linked by an Upper and Lower Pool which are connected via a moving-belt boat-lift conveyor.Each channel is watered by three of the seven 680-horsepower pumps. Six pumps will water both channels simultaneously. The electricity cost of each pump is about $45 per hour. When only one channel is used, an inflated barrier rises up from the bottom to prevent water from entering the unused channel. Since both channels have the same drop, 6.4 metres (21 ft), the extra length of the long channel gives it a gentler slope.
Most of the water diverters are natural boulders cemented in place, but there is some use of moveable plastic bollards attached to the bottom. There are five barn door diverters hinged to the channel sides and positioned by hydraulic pistons, two above the M-Wave on the long channel, and three in the slalom competition channel. The M-Wave is designed to replicate the famous M-Wave 38.445°N 107.783°W in an irrigation channel near Montrose, Colorado.
The National Office of USA Canoe/Kayak, which manages the US canoe and kayak Olympic teams, is located in Charlotte because of its proximity to the USNWC. In April 2011, the team trials for the US national whitewater team were held at USNWC.
Activities
Water Sports- Whitewater Rafting - Rafters with trained raft guides can paddle Class II, III, and IV rapids on the artificial whitewater channels. In 2010, the USNWC had 100,000 rafters.
- Whitewater Kayaking - Whitewater kayakers, from beginner to expert, can paddle, with or without instructors, alongside Olympic contenders. Periodic slalom races are scheduled for all ages and all skill levels.
- Flatwater Kayaking - Flatwater kayaking is offered on the Catawba River, which is adjacent to the USNWC’s property.
- Stand-Up Paddle Boarding - Stand-Up Paddle Boarding is new to the USNWC in 2011. Participants stand on a board similar to a surf board and use a long paddle to maneuver along the Catawba River.
Land Sports
- Mountain Biking - The USNWC has over 14 miles of trails, ranging from beginner to advanced trails. Bikers can bring their own bikes and helmets or rent equipment from the USNWC.
- Eco Trekking - Eco Trekking is based on the geo caching system. Participants are given a GPS device and the coordinates to cache points located throughout the trails and facility.
- The Trail System - The USNWC has over 14 miles of trails which are shared by bikers, runners, and walkers. The trails are used for various races including the River Bound Race Series and the XTERRA Whitewater Trail Race and Triathlon. Bikers are asked to observe the “Rules of the Trail” as established by the International Mountain Bicycling Association. The Tarheel Trailblazers, a Charlotte based mountain biking group, assists in the development and maintenance of the trails.
- Rock Climbing - The USNWC’s climbing center is one of the largest outdoor climbing centers in the world. The open-air climbing wall has over 40 roped climbs and reaches a height of 46 feet.
Aerial Sports
- Canyon Crossing - The Canyon Crossing opened as a new activity in spring 2011. The Canyon Crossing consists of a circuit of sky bridges with five different aerial challenges that span the south ridge gorge at heights of over 50 feet. At the last platform is a 250 foot zip-line which returns participants back across the gorge.
- Mega Zip - The MegaZip, which opened in 2009, is a 1,123 foot zip-line which begins at the top of a 46 foot tower, goes over the whitewater river and ends at Hawk Island.
- Mega Jump - The Mega Jump is a controlled free fall from a 46 foot tower. The Mega Jump, which opened in 2010, utilizes the POWERFAN® assisted free fall system, technology that was pioneered by the film industry.
- Adventure Course - The Adventure Course is an aerial obstacle course 20 feet high in the trees.
- Climb 2 Zip - The Climb 2 Zip is a 100 foot zip-line which begins at the top of a 32 foot platform.
- Canopy Tour - The Canopy Tour, which opened in 2011 and goes along with the recent demand for eco tourism, consists of 14 tree platforms linked by 7 zip-lines, multiple sky bridges and other aerial challenges. The Canopy Tour reaches heights in excess of 60 feet and goes across wetlands and a 90 foot deep canyon, along the Catawba River and through portions of the Historic Tuckaseegee Ford and Trail. Guests are accompanied by two trained guides who provide educational information about the region of participants as they go from tree platform to tree platform.