Canoe Slalom

In Slalom Racing, paddlers have to navigate the kayak or canoe through pairs of poles, called "gates", set up over the challenging rapids, waves, eddies and currents on a stretch of rough water. It takes skill and courage to conquer the water. Rough water is the main feature on whitewater. In the Olympic discipline Canoe Slalom Racing the competitor has to face rapids as well as go through a series of 18 to 25 gates set up on a (approximately) 300m long course. To make matters more interesting, six gates must be navigated upstream. If a racer touches any one of the gates, a time penalty is 2 seconds. 50 seconds is added on to the time scored by the competitor for missed gate. Therefore, while speed is of the essence, technique is what wins the event.

They are single kayak (K) events, for men and women, and canoe events, only for men, in single (C1) and double boats (C2). There are also team and 4-CAT events. In team race 3 boats of the same category are paddling through whole course together, 4-CAT event is relay race of 4 boats different categories. There is only one run and each competitor have to past approx. 5 gates very aggressively and this type of event is exciting for all spectators and fans.

One thing they all have in common is a love-hate relationship with the water. While it is the water that propels them, it is also the water that sinks them. Making this relationship even more unstable is that racers are not allowed to practice on the water once the course is set (Advantage water). This means the athlete must rely on their most powerful tool - their intelligence and intuitive feel for the water.