WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) -- If you like whitewater canoe racing, mark a trip to Wausau on your 2012 calendar.

The city will host the International Canoe Federation Junior Slalom World Championships, attracting competitors from around the globe.

Organizers say the city last hosted the competition in 1994 when paddlers from 24 nations attended. The races happen every two years.

Karla Westcott of the Wausau Kayak/Canoe Corporation board says hosting the event again confirms that the city's Whitewater Park is a world-class facility.

The championships are being held next week in the Czech Republic and in France in 2010.

Wausau beat Brazil and Slovakia for the chance to host the 2012 event.