L-R Lauren Chester (General Manager – 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships), Stanislas Lequiller (Hydrostadium CEO),
Kim Crane (Paddle Australia CEO), Richard Fox (Head of the Host Organising Committee, 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships).
Photo courtesy of JGR Images / Paddle Australia.

Paddle Australia is pleased to announce Hydrostadium as the official whitewater partner of the 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships. This partnership marks a significant milestone, as it comes 25 years after the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, where engineers from Hydrostadium played a pivotal role in designing and constructing the Penrith Whitewater course. 

The construction of the Whitewater Stadium was managed by Pacific Power International and funded by the NSW Government, Penrith City Council, and the International Canoe Federation, ensuring the venue became a world-class facility for the sport. Following the Olympics, Hydrostadium was established and has continued to be a global leader in whitewater engineering.

In addition to its event partnership with Paddle Australia, Hydrostadium will supply replacement obstacles for the stadium’s whitewater course, ensuring it remains one of the best in the world for elite competition. These obstacles—exclusive to Hydrostadium—have demonstrated exceptional durability and performance over 25 years. The upgrades will not only benefit high-performance slalom athletes but also enhance the venue’s recreational paddling, rafting, and whitewater rescue training programs.

Head of the Host Organising Committee Richard Fox MBE said: “I remember in 1997 standing in what was a field at the time imagining a whitewater course here in Penrith for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

“With the help of Hydrostadium and Electricité de France (EDF), its mother company, and many others, we were able to construct this beautiful venue, which 25 years on, beyond the Games, is still standing tall. We’re really proud of that journey, and we’re really excited (to partner with) Hydrostadium, which was born at that time; to be collaborating around the 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships with them as a whitewater partner for our sport. I see it as the beginning for many great things to come for our sport, and for our venue.”

Paddle Australia CEO Kim Crane said: “It is incredibly exciting to be announcing this partnership with Paddle Australia and Hydrostadium. “We’re writing another chapter of the Sydney legacy story, and to be able to do that 25 years later is exactly what we’re endeavouring to do here at Paddle Australia – demonstrate what legacy truly means.

“We’re looking to create a dynamic and thriving paddling ecosystem and elevate our sport and lifestyle onto the world stage. So to have a credible, world-leading infrastructure partner with Hydrostadium, under the whitewater context, is incredibly exciting for us,” she said.

Hydrostadium CEO Stanislas Lequiller said: We are really happy to sign this partnership with Paddle Australia. 25 years ago, Hydrostadium was already here to design this stadium, and we are proud to be back again.  This means a lot to us to still be part of the future of the stadium in signing this agreement today.

“Penrith Whitewater Stadium was built 25 years ago and is still one of the best whitewater parks in the world. It shows that we can design and build sustainable and relevant projects. This is how we want to keep working with our partners. And in particular here with Paddle Australia,” he said.

The Sydney 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships will bring the world’s best athletes to Penrith, reinforcing Australia’s status as a powerhouse in canoe slalom and showcasing the venue’s legacy 25 years after the Sydney Olympics.