News

    TORONTO, Sept. 15 /CNW/ - Today at Toronto's Marilyn Bell Park the finest
field of Canadian and International elite high performance paddlers assembled
for the inaugural Mazda CanoeKayak Knockout 2007. Mazda Canada, corporate
sponsor of the Canadian National Canoe and Kayak Team since 1995, joined
forces with CanoeKayak Canada to bring this one-of-a-kind event to Canada.
This dynamic one-day event featured a three-tiered format including
International Singles 200-Metre Knockout Competition, National 200-Metre K-4
Competition and National 200-Metre C-1 Competition plus a Club Mixed 200-Metre
War Canoe Competition. These sprint-style races have served as a preview for
the shorter distance races at the upcoming 2008 games.
    "At Mazda Canada, we are proud to have played a role in supporting
CanoeKayak Canada in developing world-class athletes and coaches," says Don
Romano, President Mazda Canada. "The Mazda CanoeKayak Knockout is a fabulous
way to showcase the strength and depth of the Canadian National Canoe and
Kayak Team in exciting, head-to-head competition with some of the best
paddlers in the world," he continued.
    "CanoeKayak Canada is thrilled to have had the opportunity to partner
with our long-standing corporate sponsor Mazda Canada in hosting this
inaugural event," says Anne Merklinger, Director General with CanoeKayak
Canada. "Consistent with Mazda's reputation for excellence and quality, the
Mazda CanoeKayak Knockout was an exciting, action-packed event that captured
the attention of athletes, officials, media and spectators."Final Standings
    ---------------
    International Singles 200-Metre Knockout Competition

    -   Men's Kayak Singles - Richard Dalton of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
    -   Women's Kayak Singles - Carrie Johnson of the United States
    -   Men's Canoe Singles - Ronald Rauhe of Germany

    With the event being held at Marilyn Bell Park, spectators had an
excellent vantage point from which to see may of the world's top canoers and
kayakers compete in exciting and intense races. Some of the most notable
Competitors included:

    -   Champion Men's Kayak Singles 500m Adam van Koeverden, Canada,
        Olympic Gold Medalist, Men's Kayak Singles 2007 World
    -   Mark Oldershaw, Canada, Men's Canoe Singles
    -   Emilie Fournel, Canada, Women's Kayak Singles
    -   Attila Buday - Canada, Men's Sprint Canoe
    -   Tim Brabants, Great Britain, 2007 World Champion Men's Kayak
        Singles 1000m
    -   Martin Doktor, Czech Republic, Men's Canoe Singles
    -   Andreas Dittmer, Germany, 3-time Olympic Champion Men's Canoe Singles
    -   Ronald Rauhe, Germany, Men's Kayak Singles
    -   Timéa Paksy, Hungary, Women's Kayak Singles
    -   Attila Vajda, Hungary, Men's Canoe Singles
    -   Anders Gustafson, Sweden, Men's Kayak Singles
    -   Sofia Paldanius, Sweden, Women's Kayak Singles
    -   Carrie Johnson, USA, Women's Kayak Singles
    -   Rami Zur, USA, Men's Kayak SinglesWith world-class athletes, a spectacular venue and sudden death finals,
The Mazda CanoeKayak Knockout delivered a spectacular one-two punch with this
unique event and primer for the upcoming 2008 games in Beijing.

    /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
    the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
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    website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
    members of the media/