Costa Rica was the host country of the Pan American Canoe Slalom Championship (obstacles in river), organized by the Costa Rican Kayak and Canoeing Federation (Fecokac, due to its name in Spanish).
This important event was held in the Pejibaye River, hosting the continental contest that gathered the best talent in the sport. The contest was developed in the beautiful town of Turrialba, as the river is located in this pristine region, famous for its mountains, fresh air, beautiful sceneries, and also picturesque restaurants where to enjoy typical food in Costa Rica.
“We felt very proud of the Pan American Kayak Championship, for Costa Rica this represented a great honour as we exposed ourselves to the eyes of the world by having so many countries present in the competition. This event permitted the positioning of our country as a training center par excellence, as it was during the nineties”, explained Mr. Eliecer Cespedes, President of the Kayak and Canoeing Federation.
Parallel to the event, the South American Championship was also held, so they arranged everything to took advantage of the presence and participation of the many countries to organized an event as important as it was.
During this competition the region had the presence of local athletes, but also from the United States, Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador and Uruguay.
From our country, one of the most recognized and experienced athletes participated: Arnoldo Cespedes. He won the 5th place during the Pan American Championship in 2015. Diego Solano, Axel Fonseca, Luis Mendez, Gustavo Tencio, and Aaron Peña were also part of the Costa Rican delegation.
The tournament sought to encourage the feminine participation in sportive activities such as these ones, in order to start working in the formation and preparation facing the new Olympic cycle for Japan in 2020.
The event was played individually, with departures in intervals of two minutes and the athlete who made the best time won.
This was an important event for the country as an opportunity to show the potential of the natural resources Costa Rica has, as well as it is expected that this kind of events attract more tourists and people interested in enjoying vacation packages in this unparalleled country.
The country offers a lot of different options to enjoy natural attractions and visitors: families, honeymoons, solo travelers, groups of friends, colleagues or business travellers can always find a nice river in the country to relax or do an active tour during their vacation trip.
Rivers are not only an exceptional natural resource, these offers stunning landscapes and experiences; and in the country we have countless rivers in remote areas but still very close to the cities too.
Rafting is one of the most popular tours developed in the rivers, and it is maybe the activity that you cannot miss while enjoying your Costa Rica adventure vacation package. You will have II and III class rapids or III-IV for the most adventurous visitors.
Pacuare River in Turrialba is world known as the best spot for white water rafting, due to its exciting river rapids, as well as its scenic beauty; this is in fact known for competitions. Additionally, in the same area you can find Pejibaye River which is off the beaten track and is more recommended for families.
In Guanacaste Costa Rica the rafting tour is also popular in Colorado and Tenorio Rivers, but another good water option there for a family trip is the tubing which is very funny and safe, especially for children. This province is recognized for its prettiest beaches as well as its all inclusive family resorts but there is a list of places of interest you must discover.
In the Northern Region, if you are staying in Arenal, you can enjoy a safari float tour in the Peñas Blancas River, there the wildlife is brilliant and the views are simply amazing. But there is also Balsa River, class II-III which is a great option for a family trip. Sarapiqui is another recognized and popular destination for white water rafting.
In general, the river kayaking is not popular for tourists because it requires previous experience, a good knowledge about the waters, techniques, being on a good shape and a constant practice, which are very important facts to take into consideration for competitions. Nevertheless, there are different water tour options to choose when planning your vacation package.
Have you decided which will be your next adventure on a river? Contact us! And let our expert travel designers help you creating an incredible family holiday package. We want to show you the best of our country.
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