CANOE SLALOM & KAYAK CROSS

Canoe Slalom

Canoe Slalom is contested by two types of boat, canoe (C) and kayak (K). In canoe, a single-blade paddle is used by an athlete who is strapped into the boat with their legs bent at the knees and tucked under their body, in contrast to the double-bladed paddle used in a seated position in kayak. At international level there are six individual events: women's kayak (WK1), men's kayak (MK1), women's canoe (WC1), men's canoe (MC1), women's kayak cross (WX1) and men's kayak cross (MX1).

Canoe and kayak events are timed events where competitors navigate a whitewater course by passing through a combination of upstream and downstream gates. Each course is different but can be a maximum of 300 metres in length and contain a maximum of 25 gates, with a minimum of six upstream gates. The type of gate is designated by colour - red for upstream and green for downstream. Courses are designed so the leading athletes will complete them in a time of between 90 and 110 seconds, though time penalties can be incurred for touching a gate (two seconds) and missing a gate (50 seconds).

Kayak Cross

Kayak Cross is a combination of all canoeing’s whitewater disciplines, with competitors racing in identical plastic creek boats. The excitement begins from the very start, with four competitors sliding off a ramp more than two metres above the water and splashing onto the course as one. From there it’s a race to the first buoy, and it really is a case of anything goes as each paddler tries to steal an advantage over their opponents. Athletes need to negotiate both downstream and upstream buoys, and contact is allowed – adding to the thrills and spills and excitement for spectators and athletes alike. Then there’s the compulsory kayak roll. Athletes only have a short window of opportunity to successfully roll their kayaks, and they need to do a complete 360 degree flip. There are a variety of ways to get penalized – breaking the start, missing a buoy, dangerous paddling, and failing to complete the kayak roll within the allocated area. Most races are over in around a minute, but times are not important. Kayak Cross is very much a race of tactics, and often it does not pay to lead early.

Key Facts

• Canoe Slalom is a race against the clock through a combination of up and downstream gates on a whitewater course.
• The course length and number of gates varies with a maximum of 25 gates for canoe and kayak events and eight gates for Kayak Cross.
• The course is set with a mix of upstream and downstream gates; each presents a unique challenge for the athlete, significantly testing their ability to read and work with the water flow whilst maintaining their trajectory, balance and speed.
• The direction the athlete must travel through each gate is indicated by colour: red for upstream and green for downstream.
• Course designers set the gate patterns with the aim of utilising the water features - eddies, waves and stoppers - to create a competitive course. No two courses are the same.
• There are five events within canoe and kayak programme with both men and women contesting the kayak and canoe singles (WK1, MK1, WC1, MC1); there is also mixed canoe doubles (XC2). Kayak Cross programme consists of women's kayak (WX1) and men's kayak cros (MX1).
• The Olympic programme currently features four classes MK1, WK1, MC1 and WC1. Kayak Cross will make its debut at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
• The difference between a kayak and a canoe is simple; it’s the number of blades on the paddle and the athlete’s position in the boat. In kayak, the paddler is seated and uses a double-bladed paddle pulling the blade through the water on alternate sides to propel the boat forward. In canoe, the paddle has a single-blade and the athlete is strapped into the boat with their legs bent at the knees and tucked under their body.