What is
Whitewater
Slalom?
Whitewater Slalom is a competitive sport with the aim of navigating a canoe, kayak or SUP through a course of hanging downstream (green gates) or upstream (red gates) on river rapids in the fastest time possible.
Athletes developed technical skills and strength to navigate a course of about 90 -120 seconds. The newest addition to the sport of Whitewater Slalom is Kayak Cross. Canoe, Kayak and Kayak Cross are Olympic disciplines and will be part of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Slalom Canoe Kayak
Canoe Kayak Slalom is contested by two types of boats, canoe (C) and Kayak (K). In a canoe, the athlete kneels in the boat and uses a single-blade paddle, in contrast to the double-bladed paddle used in a seated position in Kayak.
Competitors navigate a whitewater course by passing through a combination of upstream and downstream gates. Each course is different up to 300 metres in length and contains a maximum of 25 gates, with a mix of upstream gates and downstream gates. The type of gate is designated by colour: red for upstream and green for downstream. Courses are designed to 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).
Slalom SUP
Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) is growing in popularity with more participants moving from flat water to river rapids (whitewater SUP). Whitewater paddling is generally taught through instruction in a course, and it is important to seek out quality instruction and appropriate gear to play in the rivers safely. (Swift Water Rescue Course, through AQ Outdoors and Waterwerks )
Once you've mastered some foundational skills on the river such as how to swim safely and control gear in whitewater, you might be looking for the next challenge.
Kayak Cross
Kayak Cross is an exciting new addition to the Whitewater racing world. Competitors are racing in plastic creek boats through a course of hanging blow-up buoys. Red gates are navigated upstream, whereas green gates are with the current downstream. The event is split into two stages, starting with a time trial, which forms the basis of the seeding for the head-to-head rounds. Typically it is a four-person head-to-head race which adds lots of thrill for any spectators.
Kayak Cross makes its Olympic depute in 2024 in Paris.