The Malta Canoe Racing Club (MCRC) inaugurated its new premises in Msida on November 30.
The brainchild of five young athletes - Christopher Camilleri, Ryan Schembri, Nicola Borg Costanzi, Matthew Schembri and Matthew Borg Costanzi - the club will focus its efforts on organising and promoting flat water racing.
"Our proximity to the Msida Yacht Marina means we now have an expanse of nearly one kilometre of constant flatwater throughout the year," explains Nicola Borg Costanzi, the club's secretary.
Previously, the athletes trained from the Malta Canoe Federation's premises in Marsamxett, not the most ideal water conditions for flatwater kayaking.
In contrast, Msida harbour is only rough in extreme weather conditions, so canoeists are almost guaranteed favourable training conditions.
The MCRC is a small organisation with big plans and the club's officials are hoping to increase participation in international events. To date, only two Maltese canoeists have ever competed on the international stage.
Gerald Degaetano took part in the 2003 World Championships while Camilleri has raced in the World Championships three times and is currently ranked 58th from 99 countries.
"We are working to send athletes to the Mediterranean Games in Pescara in June and the ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships in Nova Scotia, Canada, in August," Borg Costanzi added.
To qualify for the Mediterranean Games athletes must meet the 'Minimum Qualifying Standards' set by the Maltese Olympic Committee.
The International Canoe Federation supports Malta's participation in the World Championship by funding one athlete's participation at a training camp held prior to the competition.
The Malta Canoe Racing Club is also looking to increase the sport's popularity among the young. The team are currently in talks with schools and scout groups hoping to add kayaking to their activity schedule.
Surprisingly, given our geographical location, canoeing is still in its infancy as a sport in Malta. Although British service personnel used canoes back in the 1950s and 60s, it wasn't until August 1990 that James Craig Wightman started the first Malta Canoe Club, now the Malta Canoe Federation.
A flatwater race course is straight, with each boat assigned a separate lane. There are three distances: 200m, 500m or 1,000m and three categories for both men and women, the single (K1), double (K2) and four boat (K4). There are also three men's only categories in canoeing: single (C1), double (C2) and four boat (C4).
Although canoes and kayaks look very similar to the untrained eye, paddling them is decidedly different.
Whilst one sits in a kayak and uses a two-blade paddle, the paddler in a canoe is down on one knee and uses a single blade paddle.
The Manoel Island Race, held between February and May every year, is the main racing competition held locally and consists of a 10Km race, a 3Km race and a sprint.
Participation is open to canoeists of all levels from beginners to elite and the race is classified by type of vessel; sea kayak or racing kayak; and then further split into male, female and junior categories.
Last summer, the Malta Canoe Racing Club also held a sprint series with races taking place every fortnight between July and September. During the series athletes competed in time trials, 200m, 500m or 1Km races.