Douro River

The World Championship Canoe Marathon 2009 will take place in Douro River, near the Nautical Club of Crestuma.

The Douro - or Duero - is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in the province of Soria across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto. Its total length is 897 km.

In Portugal, the Douro flows through the districts of Bragança, Guarda, Viseu, Vila Real, Aveiro and Porto.

There are five dams on the Portuguese Douro alone making the flow of water uniform, generating hydroelectric power and allowing navigation. Ships with maximum length 83 m and width 11.4 m can pass through five locks. The highest one on Carrapatelo dam has a maximum lift 35 meters.