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Canoeing and Kayaking

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.

News, History, and Fast Facts

More sports


Archery

Badminton

Baseball

Basketball

Boxing

Canoeing & Kayaking

Cycling

Diving

Equestrian

Fencing

Field Hockey

Gymnastics

Judo

Paralympics

Pentathlon

Rowing

Sailing

Shooting

Soccer

Softball

Swimming

Synchronized Swimming

Table Tennis

Taekwondo

Team Handball

Tennis

Track & Field

Triathlon

Volleyball

Water Polo

Weightlifting

Wrestling

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.


Portions of the above text were excerpted from Share the Olympic Dream--Volume II.
© 2001 by Griffin Publishing Group/United States Olympic Committee.

For information on purchasing Griffin materials, please visit the Griffin Publishing Group Web site at http://www.griffinpublishing.com.

 

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