Montreal and the 2026 Diving World Cup: How RenovAction Renewed an Olympic Icon

After hosting the Olympic Games in 1976 and the World Aquatics Championships in 2005, Montreal remains a landmark for international swimming and diving competitions. From 26 February to 1 March, 120 athletes from more than 20 nations will gather at the Olympic Park for the first stop of the 2026 Diving World Cup.

“Once again, the world’s diving elite return to Montreal, Canada, to open the 2026 Diving World Cup from 26 February to 1 March. A renowned host of major sporting events, including the 1976 Olympics and 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Montreal has a rich diving history, having hosted 14 World Aquatics Diving World Cup and Grand Prix events, as well as the 2022 World Junior Diving Championships. The historic Montreal Olympic pool, a hub for both community and elite sport for over 50 years, will once again be the competition venue” said Husain Al-Musallam, World Aquatics President.

Designed by architect Roger Taillibert, the Olympic Park is an iconic sports area. It is easy to spot thanks to the Esplanade, the largest stadium in Canada, and the tallest inclined tower in the world. Just beneath the tower lies the high-performance sports centre dedicated to 12 different Olympic disciplines.

As Cédric Essiminy, Public Relations Advisor at the Olympic Park, explained in a 2023 interview, the venue has two distinct identities. “The centre is a high-performance facility for top athletes, but it is also open to the general public,” he said. “So citizens can swim near Olympic athletes, a special opportunity for children. You can feel the DNA of sports; it’s very inspiring for any practising swimmer, water polo player or artistic swimmer.”

All the pools were refurbished using RenovAction technology, avoiding significant and lengthy demolition works and ensuring compliance with the latest regulations. “Renovating a site that is unique, we had to be careful to preserve it,” said Essiminy. “At the same time, we wanted to bring the facility into the 21st century. That’s why we chose this equipment and technology. For us it was essential to be on par with the best. We are an Olympic facility and we can’t compromise on the level of the equipment. When you renovate you have to stay ‘Olympic,’ and to be ‘Olympic’ is to be the best. So we had to keep that in mind when we renovated. It’s part of our history. At Parc Olympique, the goal is to train athletes, giving them the closest experience to international competition.”

After 10 years, the Myrtha pools at the Olympic Park remain a state-of-the-art aquatic venue. A cutting-edge facility for both top athletes and citizens, it continues to nurture the next generation of swimmers and divers.