Two Canadian canoe/kayak slalom athletes set to make Olympic debut at Paris 2024

VALLEYFIELD, QUEBEC (May 8, 2024) – Canoe Kayak Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced the roster of Team Canada canoe/kayak slalom athletes selected to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The athletes are:

Alex Baldoni (Pau, France)
Lois Betteridge (Ottawa, Ont.)

Baldoni and Betteridge both qualified for Paris 2024 by winning their respective C-1 events at the 2024 COPAC Canoe Slalom Americas Olympic Qualifier in mid-March. Paris 2024 will mark the Olympic debut of both athletes.

Baldoni was a finalist in men’s C-1 at the 2023 International Canoe Federation (ICF) U23 World Championships, where he placed 10th. He was a semifinalist there in men’s kayak cross, placing fifth overall. He went on to win the silver medal in men’s kayak cross and place fifth in the men’s C-1 event at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. In 2021, he achieved Canada’s best-ever performance in men’s canoe slalom when he placed sixth at the ICF Junior World Championships.

“The last four years have been incredible, but also very hard while training. I have worked really hard and spent countless hours on the water trying to improve on every possible aspect, whether technical, psychological, physical preparation, relaxation and recovery. Now I have finally qualified for my first Olympic Games! I am very much looking forward to experiencing such a great event and to becoming an Olympian!”

After gaining a great appreciation for Canadian values and culture while spending a month each year in Canada throughout his childhood, Baldoni, who was born and raised in France but holds dual citizenship, chose to represent his mother’s home country as part of Team Canada on the international stage.

Betteridge, who has been representing Canada at the senior ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships since 2017, continues to build on her road to Paris after winning two silver medals at Santiago 2023 in women’s C-1 and women’s kayak cross. The day after she earned her Olympic qualification, she won gold in the women’s K-1 and silver in the women’s C-1 at the 2024 Pan American Championships.

“I just returned from a training camp at the Olympic course in Paris and the venue is very impressive!” said Betteridge. “I’m really excited to see some of my friends and family sitting in the stands, cheering for Team Canada, in a country that is very passionate about canoeing. The energy at this event is going to be wild!”

In addition to competing in the women’s C-1 event in which Betteridge earned her Olympic quota spot, the 26-year-old will also compete in the inaugural Olympic women’s kayak cross competition, as well as the women’s K-1 event. Baldoni will compete in both the men’s C-1 and kayak cross events.

“We are thrilled to be racing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where canoe slalom has a huge fan base!” said Team Leader and three-time Olympian, James Cartwright. “The atmosphere at the slalom venue is going to be enormous and our team has become very comfortable training and racing in France. We have been preparing in France since 2021 and it has become our second home and we are looking forward to the big show!”

Paris 2024 will mark the Olympic debut of kayak cross – an exciting new competition format in which four athletes race head-to-head through a whitewater course. Kayak cross was on the competition program for both the Lima 2019 and Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

Canada has been competing in canoe/kayak slalom at the Olympic Games since the sport’s debut at Munich 1972. While a Canadian has yet to win an Olympic medal in canoe/kayak slalom, David Ford came closest with his fourth-place finish in the men’s K-1 event at Athens 2004. Women’s canoe was included on the Olympic programme for the first time at Tokyo 2020, making the sport gender balanced.

Canoe/kayak slalom will take place July 27 to August 5 (Day 1 to 10) at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium. 

“A huge congratulations to Alex and Lois for their first Olympic selection on the canoe/kayak slalom team. Their speed, ability and precise boat control allowed them to overcome challenges and push their limits rapid after rapid. I am very proud of them,’’ said Bruny Surin, Team Canada’s Paris 2024 Chef de Mission. ’’Experiencing the atmosphere of the Games is unique and I wish them a rich and successful journey.”

Team Canada’s canoe/kayak slalom team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games also includes the following coaches and support staff:

James Cartwright (Ottawa, Ont.) – Team Leader
Anthony Colin (Pau, France) – Coach
Ian Mortimer (Ottawa, Ont.) – Chief Technical Officer
Michal Staniszewski (Gatineau, Que) – Coach

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.

The latest Team Canada Paris 2024 roster can be found here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Colleen Coderre, Communications Lead
Canoe Kayak Canada
C: 613-530-6217
E: ccoderre@canoekayak.ca

Tara MacBournie, Program Manager, Sport Communications
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-522-8328
E: tmacbournie@olympic.ca