A total of 50 elite athletes will be participating in what represents one of the first steps towards reaching next year's Olympic Games.

They will be in direct competition for a place on the 2011 US Slalom National Team, which will compete in the upcoming 2011 World Championships, London 2012 Olympic Test Event and the 2012 Pan American Championships.

These events will go a long way to determining which athletes make it onto the US Canoe/Kayak team for the Olympics.

USA Canoe/Kayak chief executive Joe Jacobi said: "Our athletes and coaches are ready to get the Trials underway and begin the journey towards London.

"We're fortunate to have a deep pool of talent from which to choose a National Team this year."

Athletes will be judged based on their scores from their five best runs, and will be looking to qualify in the following categories; women's single canoe (C1W), men's double canoe (C2M), women's single kayak (K1W), men's single canoe (C1M) and men's single kayak (K1M).

Possibly the most tightly contested competition will be in the K1M category, where there are over 24 entrants, including leading contenders Scott Parsons and Brett Heyl.

Ashley Nee, who won silver at the Pan American Championships in January, Caroline Queen and Michelle Kvanli, who took silver and bronze respectively in last year's National Championships, will be confident of making it in the K1W category.

Benn Fraker and Casey Eichfeld, who competed in Beijing 2008 and came first and second in the 2010 National Championships, will be among the competitors in the C1M category.

In the C1W category, Hailey Thompson, a senior and junior national team member in 2010, and Catie Vuksich, runner up in the 2010 National Championships, will be among the leading contenders.

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