During the London 2012 Games, the Canoe Slalom competition will call for speed and precision on the daunting white water rapids at the new Lee Valley White Water Centre.
Modelled on slalom skiing, the first Canoe Slalom competition was held in Switzerland in 1932. The sport was staged on flat water during its early days, but was later switched to white water rapids.
Since becoming a permanent part of the Olympic programme 20 years ago in Barcelona, the sport has thrilled spectators at the Games with spectacular, non-stop action on the powerful, unforgiving water.
Canoe Slalom competitions consist of timed runs down a white water course, which contains up to 25 gates. Touching a gate adds a two-second time penalty to the run; missing a gate incurs a 50-second penalty. The time taken to run the course in seconds is added to penalty seconds incurred to give the overall time.
Within the Canoe Slalom discipline there are events for both canoes and kayaks.
In canoe single (for one person) and canoe double (for two people) events, competitors use single-bladed paddles; in kayaks, competitors use paddles with blades at both ends. While the boats used in Canoe Sprint events are long and streamlined, Canoe Slalom boats are small, light and agile. The different shape allows for greater manoeuvrability through the rapids.
Olympic Canoe Slalom, past and present
Canoe and kayak racing became full medal sports at the 1936 Berlin Games, but Canoe Slalom didn’t make its debut until the 1972 Munich Games and only became a permanent part of the Olympic programme in 1992. At London 2012, the Canoe Slalom competition will be held at Lee Valley White Water Centre, in a new, world-class facility located on the edge of the 1,000-acre River Lee Country Park.
Within the Canoe Slalom discipline there are events for both canoes and kayaks.
In canoe single (for one person) and canoe double (for two people) events, competitors use single-bladed paddles; in kayaks, competitors use paddles with blades at both ends. While the boats used in Canoe Sprint events are long and streamlined, Canoe Slalom boats are small, light and agile. The different shape allows for greater manoeuvrability through the rapids.
Olympic Canoe Slalom, past and present
Canoe and kayak racing became full medal sports at the 1936 Berlin Games, but Canoe Slalom didn’t make its debut until the 1972 Munich Games and only became a permanent part of the Olympic programme in 1992. At London 2012, the Canoe Slalom competition will be held at Lee Valley White Water Centre, in a new, world-class facility located on the edge of the 1,000-acre River Lee Country Park.
Canoe Slalom
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