Canoe and Kayak: Then and now

The first canoes and kayaks were made thousands of years ago by native Americans and Polynesian islanders. They were originally used for hunting, fishing and transport on water.

Racing began in the 19th century, after British travel writer John MacGregor copied the design of the ancient boats, and founded the Royal Canoe Club of England in 1866.

Today, races are held on both flat water and white water courses at sites across the world.

How to play – and win

The difference between a canoe and a kayak is relatively easy to spot: canoeists use a single paddle and kneel in the boat, while kayakers compete sitting down with a double-ended paddle.

There are two types of Canoe and Kayak race at the Olympic Games – Flatwater (or Sprint) and Slalom. Both demand extreme endurance and highly specialised skills.

Flatwater

In the Flatwater competitions, paddlers race across calm water, over distances of 500m and 1000m. There are events for single athletes (C1, K1), pairs (C2, K2) and fours (K4).

Athletes compete head-to-head, with the aim of crossing the finish line first. At the highest level, races can be won in under 80 seconds.

Slalom

In the Slalom discipline, competitors travel down a 300m-long course on turbulent, ‘white-water’ rapids. They must pass through a twisting sequence of 25 ‘gates’, avoiding penalty points for touching the poles.

Green and white gates must be taken in a ‘downstream’ direction; red and white ‘upstream’ gates require competitors to paddle against the current.

A touch is penalised by two seconds added to the competitor’s time; missing a gate costs 50 seconds - a ‘wipeout’ in serious competition.

Each competitor takes two runs, and the times are added together. Events are held for single kayakers (C1, K1, men and women), single canoeists (C1, men only) and pairs of canoeists (C2, men only).

Canoe and Kayak at the Games

Flatwater Canoeing reached the Olympic Games as a demonstration event in 1924. It became a full medal sport at Berlin 1936, with women first competing (Kayak only) in London 1948.

The white-water Slalom form of the sport was introduced in Munich 1972. Like Flatwater, Slalom has usually been dominated by European countries.

Facts about Canoe and Kayak

• The first Flatwater Canoe regattas were held in England in the mid-19th century.
• The oldest Canoe club in the world, the Royal Canoe Club of London, was founded in 1866.
• The original Inuit kayaks were made by stretching animal skin over a wooden frame.
  

Jargon buster

• Paddler: A canoeist
• Upstream: Against the flow of the water.
• Shaft: The narrow part of a paddle, gripped by the paddler.
• Wash: The rough water left behind a moving boat.
• Upstream gate: A slalom gate that is negotiated against the flow of the water.
• Regatta: A boat race competition.

Get involved

Contact your national association to find a local club and get information on development schemes for up-and-coming paddlers, see 'related websites'.