The Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) is a youth multi sport event and is part of the Australian Olympic Committee's (AOC's) commitment to the development of Oluympic sports and junior athletes. The AYOF seeks to provie future athletes with an environment reminiscent of an Olympic Games and promote the Olympic ideals of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

The AYOF is a biennial event, which is being held for the fifth time in 2009. This year the event has attracted teams from across Australia as well as over 20 other nations including, New Zealand, China and Great Britain.

AYOF provides athletes between the ages of 13 and 19 the opportunity to compete in 16 sports. The rowing, flat-water canoeing and triathlon components of the AYOF will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.

Canoeing events will be held over 1000m and 500m on the 15th and 16th January 09.

For more information on this event or other activities as part of the AYOF please see the Australian Olympic Committee website.