Splashing out

Nothing better complements the brilliant blue sky of a Beijing autumn day than green trees and clean water.

All three elements come together at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park Venue. Bordering the Forest Park of Chaobai River in the west and surrounded by endless mountains in the north, the park has vast waters occupying 6.35 sq km and green coverage of more than 80 percent.

The park is now open to the public.

Remember how the canoeing and kayaking races made such a big splash during Beijing Olympics? Now you can make a splash of your own at the same Olympic course.

The canoe slalom, which opened to the public last month, has been reconstructed at the base of the slalom warming-up loop of the Beijing Olympics, a 235-m long course considered to be very tough.

Powered by electric pumps, the course has a water speed of between 4 cu m per second and 21 cu m per second.

"It can be manipulated automatically to ensure the safety of the game while keeping the excitement," says Qiang Qiang of the park's marketing department.

The most screaming can be heard at the 200-m point of the course, which has a sharp drop. There are also eddies, which always trap many green hands.

But there are trainers standing by all along the course to lend a helping hand and ensure that you are armed with professional helmets, life jackets, elbow pads and knee pads, before setting foot on the slalom. You would do well, though, to carry an extra set of clothes as everyone is soaking wet at the finish line.

Next to the course is also a bathhouse, equipped with shampoo and slippers.

The slalom is open 10 to 11 am and 3 to 4 pm on weekdays, and 3 to 4:30 pm on weekends. Tickets cost 100 yuan ($15) per person for one loop and will be available until the end of next month, depending on the weather.

If the slalom sounds too intimidating, how about paddling a kayak?

The kayak used is different from that used at the Games, as it is meant for recreational purposes. It comes with large adjustable seats that can accommodate two people. And its beam is wider so it is more stable on water. The kayak is very light and easy to handle in and out of water.

While keeping your balance may seem like a breeze, controlling the direction is not. Owing to the wider hull, it does not keep straight and hardly seems to goes forward.

Paddling a kayak at the Olympic flat water race course is very enjoyable and brings you close to nature. The water is clean - recycled once every 35 to 40 days - and is comparable in quality to that of the Miyun Reservoir. Birds from the neighboring park fly freely around you.

Kayaking can be enjoyed for 80 yuan for half an hour and 150 yuan for an hour.

The yacht is also a must try and costs 50 yuan for a circle of eight minutes. On the vast water area, stretching 2.712 km from north to south, and 1.620 km at its widest point east to west, the yacht reaches a high speed and takes a zigzag route.

Besides, there are also water walking balls (80 yuan for half an hour and 150 yuan for an hour) and other outdoor recreational activities at the park.

"In order to keep the park the same as it was during Olympics, we have decorated the park with Olympic flags and logos," says Qiang, "while adding more facilities such as toilets, service centers and storage battery cars."

If you have a driving license, you can also drive around the park yourself.

Caught on camera

The Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park Venue is the world's only first-class rowing-canoeing venue that contains both flat water and slalom courses.

During the Games, Slovakia's Elena Kaliska won the Women's Kayak gold and her compatriot Michal Martikn was crowned in the Men's Canoe Single. Slovakian twins Peter and Pavol Hochschorner won gold medals in Men's Canoe Double - their third Olympic win after Sydney and Athens.

The Chinese team made a historic breakthrough at the course, with Feng Liming entering the Men's Canoe Slalom semi-final.

At the nearby flat water course, six gold medals were evenly shared by six countries. China's Meng Guangliang and Yang Wenjun picked up the golds in the Men's Flat water Canoe Double 500 m.

All these splendid moments and exciting stories are shown in a photographic display at a corner of the park.

To get there, take bus 989 at Sihui Station, Chaoyang district, get off at Shuishang Park Station or drive along Jingcheng highway and exit at Baima Lu. The park is a 20-minute drive from the exit.

There are also three high-end hotels a five-minute walk from the park and two golf resorts along Baima Lu.

Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park. 8948-2008