On behalf of all USA Canoe/Kayak athletes, coaches and staff, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the international paddling community to Gainesville for the World Championships! It is especially exciting that an event of this magnitude will be held on Lake Lanier, the site of the 1996 Olympic Games sprint competition.

Not only are the World Championships the premier event on the sprint racing calendar outside of the Olympics, but the 2003 Sprint World Championships will serve as a qualifier for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Canoe/Kayak athletes from around the world will all test their skills against the best on one of the best sprint racing venues in the world.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the local organizing committee as well as the many people, organizations and sponsors who have helped to make this event possible. Events of this magnitude require an enormous amount of support and we offer a hearty thank you to all who are contributing to the success.

Whether you are an athlete, official, volunteer, family member, friend or spectator, we sincerely hope you make the most of this opportunity to be a part of the excitement of a world-class sprint competition.