Canoes and kayaks bring to mind serene images
of gliding down a calm river or across a cool
lake. However, canoe and kayak contests can
be fiercely competitive. Racers speed past
the finish line only fractions of seconds apart.
For both canoe and kayak contests, there are
two types of competitions: "sprints" in
(calm) flatwater and "slaloms" in
(more turbulent) whitewater.
There are more differences between the sports
of canoeing and kayaking than one might imagine.
Kayaks are closed, except for the small cockpit
where the paddler sits. Flatwater canoes are
open. In whitewater races, kayaks are equipped
with water-tight sprayskirts. Kayakers use
double-bladed paddles while canoeists use one
with a single-blade, paddling alternately from
side to side. Canoeists kneel as they paddle,
while kayakers sit in their boats with their
legs extended forward.
Whitewater Slalom
Whitewater slalom requires the paddler to navigate an obstacle course. Each competitor
runs the course twice. Only the better score counts.
Competition
Contests begin with qualifying heats. The first three to finish
in each heat advance directly to the semifinals. Competitors
who don't finish in the top three take part in a "repechage," or
second-chance round (repechage is the French word for "fishing again"), hoping
to win a spot in the semifinals. The top three paddlers in semifinal competition
move on to compete in the finals.
General Sports Links
Olympians will compete in dozens of sports this summer. Even though Gateway
to the Summer Games can't feature them all, you can learn about each and
every one by visiting the sites listed below.
