“Our association is proud to contribute to such an event”, The cultural and sporting actors of Foix take on the challenge of the Canoe-Kayak World Championships

In Foix, preparations continue for the junior and U23 canoe-kayak world championships. The municipality, in charge of organizing activities on the Jean Surre playground, highlighted the cultural and tourist ambitions of the World Championships.

“Our idea is that people stay on the site and spend time in Foix,” assures Fabien Guichou, sports assistant. The events will be held from July 8 to 13, 2025, preceded on July 2 by the arrival of 600 athletes from more than 50 nations. Those present will be able to enjoy the setting of the county town and obviously the Château de Foix.

“It can appeal to both athletes and families”

With 2,500 daily visitors expected at the Rébech whitewater site, the municipality is banking on a positive impact on all economic players in the city. For this, the organizing committee for the world championships has been preparing, for more than a year now, jointly with cultural associations, the arrival of spectators and athletes.

“When we learned about the organization of these Worlds, I admit that we were a little scared, in particular because we were afraid that the municipality would be heavily solicited by the event. But in the end, we quickly had meetings, and that reassured us”, explains Magali Attou, member of the Résistances festival, which is organized at the same time, from July 4 to 12.

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Simultaneously with the world championship, Résistances and the organizing committee are working together to extend the festivities beyond the Jean Surre plain and bring the Fuxé festival to life as much as possible. “We suspect that athletes and families will not be attracted by the idea of ​​locking themselves in a dark room,” says Magali Attou. “On the competition site, there will be nothing after 6 p.m., and people will be able to come to our aperitif-concerts. These are times when we welcome a lot of people, and this can please both the athletes and ‘to families.’

The tennis club postpones its tournament

The Résistances festival will not be the only association impacted by the organization of the Junior and U23 World Cups. If the rugby and football club seasons will be over, this will not be the case for tennis. TC Foix, main user of the facilities at the Jean Surre plain (five outdoor courts, two indoor courts and two padel courts), will have to adapt to the situation.

“We are going to do the same as every time there is a national or international event in Foix. Whether it is for the Tour de France or, in this case, for the junior and U23 canoe-kayak world championships, we are working on good terms with the municipality”, declares Fuxé president Stéphane Canouet.

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The date of the Worlds and the use of two outdoor courts to make them a partner space, the clubhouse, which will serve as premises for the referees of the international competition, and the monopolization of an indoor court to store the competitors’ equipment thus forcing the tennis club to postpone the dates of its annual tournament.

“Our two-week competition will take place after the world championships. This is our only certainty, because for the moment, we have not yet officially defined the future dates. They must be validated in advance by the club management committee then by the departmental committee”, admits the president of the TCF. “Despite the necessary adjustments, our association is proud to contribute to such an event.”