A comprehensive break down of the sport of Canoe Slalom. For the breakdown of Kayak Cross, read here.
NOTE: You will learn most by getting out on the water for yourself.
Click here to find your local Canoe Club.
What is Canoe Slalom?
Paddlers navigate a stretch of Whitewater in accordance to a sequence of gates. There are usually 20-25 gates in a racing course. Gates will be either green (signally to the paddler they must complete it in a downstream direction) or red (signally upstream). 6-8 of the gates will be Red, usually located in calmer parts of the river called eddies. Paddlers must complete the sequence in the correct order with adherence to the colour. The fastest paddler from top to bottom, wins.
If a paddler hits a gate, 2 seconds will be added to their time. Miss a gate and its game over, 50 seconds will be added to the paddlers time.
It is must easier to see how slalom works in action…
BOATS
Canoe Slalom is divided into two boat categories – Kayak and Canoe.
What is the difference?
KAYAK = Two blades, the paddler is seated with their legs out in front of them.
CANOE = Single blade, the paddler is kneeling and strapped into the boat
In Competition the two boat disciplines are then divided by Gender
For example:
K1M – KAYAK – 1 refers to the number of people in the boat – M refers to the competitors gender (male).
K1W – KAYAK – 1 Paddler – Female.
C1M – CANOE – 1 Paddler – Male.
C1W – CANOE – 1 Paddler – Female.
PADDLING KIT
Along with boats, Canoe Slalom requires specialist kit to perform at an optimal level and stay dry whilst paddling.
The Helmet – serves to protect the paddlers head from injury. Slalom helmets tend to be slim and chic in design, they are not overbearing yet serve as fundamental safety equipment. We would recommend Vadja (pictured above) for their light and stylish design, Galasport full carbon helmets for their popularity and Predator’s recently released Uno Elite.
Cag Deck and PFD – In recent years, the intergrated performance gear of the Hiko Jackpot and PeakPS ST which combine the cag deck and lifejacket has become the standard in Canoe Slalom. The cag deck keeps the paddler and the boat dry, they come in a variety of styles from lightweight summer material to warm winter material and serve as an integral piece of equipment. The PFD lifejacket keeps the paddler afloat in the case of an accidental swim. The technology of the PFD has enabled it to slim down and allow paddlers to get closer to the poles. We would recommend the Hiko Jackpot for their two component design which paddlers can easily swap out for different cag decks dependent of weather. PeakST are popular too for their high quality design although can be expensive long term.
Undergarments – Thermals base layers and shorts are worn by paddlers as additional kit to wear and protect from the cold. Undergarment brands are personal referenced, paddlers should decide on base layers that are most comfortable to them.
Footwear – There is a variety of options regarding footwear. For many paddlers, neoprene shoes offer the most protection although they do wear down over time and can be an annoyance to some . Sliders are another alternative as they protect paddlers feet from the ground and can be taken off before entering the boat. Lastly, many slalom paddlers opt to go barefoot particularly in the C1 category as shoes can be problematic for comfort when kneeling in the boat.
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