Türkiye’s highest dam doubles as training base for elite paddlers

ARTVİN

The Yusufeli Dam in the Black Sea city of Artvin has evolved from a feat of engineering into an elite aquatic arena, with its expansive reservoir now serving as a consistent, year-round facility for Türkiye's national canoe and rafting athletes.

Built across the wild currents of the Çoruh River, the Yusufeli Dam reaches a height of 275 meters, securing its place as the tallest dam in Türkiye and the fifth-highest in the world.

While primarily designed for hydroelectric power generation, the massive structure is now also playing a role in sports development.

Rising above the submerged ruins of seven villages and the former district, the Yusufeli reservoir now hosts a new generation of water sports athletes from the Olympic Preparation Center (TOHM).

This vast expanse provides athletes with a strategic advantage: Serene, calm waters that offer a flawless training environment throughout the winter season.

Canoe and rafting athletes train on the reservoir to prepare for national team camps, using the still water to focus on endurance, strength, balance and technique, while continuing white water training in other regions when conditions allow.

Yusufeli canoe team coach Emre Ertek said calm water training has become especially important since the relocation of the district following the dam’s completion.

“Canoeing has been practiced in Yusufeli for many years, and our athletes are very successful,” Ertek said. “After the old settlement was flooded at the end of 2022, we moved to the new district. In the past, we trained mainly on white water. Now, especially in winter, we rely more on calm water, which is ideal for conditioning and strength training.”

Athletes say the reservoir has allowed them to continue training consistently despite the ongoing construction of the new white water courses.

Canoe athlete Yağmur Arslan, who has been practicing the sport for five years, encouraged newcomers to try it.

“I truly love canoeing and highly recommend it to anyone curious about the sport,” she said. “If you believe in yourself, come join us. There’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of.”

Another athlete, Necdet Mert Kurt, described canoeing as both challenging and enjoyable.

“We train on the reservoir while our course is still under construction,” he said. “It’s a sport worth trying. To see the limits of what’s possible, you have to try the impossible.”

Athlete Başak Kurt also highlighted the appeal of the sport, saying canoeing is “enjoyable, safe, and something everyone should experience.”