1. Whitewater Slalom at a Glance
Whitewater slalom requires competitors to maneuver through a course in either a canoe or kayak. The course is set up on a river with whitewater rapids, and the rowers must battle the river's currents while making their way through the course's markers. Whitewater slalom is a racing sport, but it's not a mass-start event. Racers are individually timed while they navigate through the course, and whoever completes the course with the overall fastest time takes first place.
2. History Lesson
The International Canoe Federation was founded in the 1940s to govern whitewater slalom after the sport gained popularity in Europe. The first whitewater slalom world championship took place in 1949 in Switzerland and is held every 2 years. Europe hosted the world championships until 1977. Canada was the home of the first white water slalom world championship hosted outside of Europe. Whitewater slalom is a part of the summer Olympic Games, where it is referred to as either kayak slalom or canoe slalom. Whitewater slalom first became an Olympic sport in 1972. The first Olympic competition took place on an artificial course, launching the popularity of man-made whitewater courses. Following its first summer games appearance, the sport took a 20-year hiatus from the Olympics until it was reinstated in 1992.
3. Navigating the Rapids
The course markers, called gates, are actually two poles suspended from a wire above the river. The poles are color-coded to indicate which direction the paddlers should be traveling through each gate. Green gates must be negotiated while paddling downstream, and red gates should be completed while traveling upstream. Red gates are typically placed in pockets of water that are moving upstream, called eddies. Racers are penalized with time added onto their final time for touching, displacing and missing a gate. Penalties are also handed out for going through a gate in the wrong order or direction.
4. Just in Time
Racers' scores are calculated according to the level of competition. Lower division races are typically scored by taking the best time of 2 runs. In national and international races, the racers complete 2 runs and the times of those 2 runs are added together for a final time. In international competitions, such as the Olympics and the World Cup, a percentage of the competitors advance to the semi-final round, which is conducted on a different course. The top racers then compete on the second course during the final round.
5. The Evolution of the Boat
The first slalom boats were made of fiberglass and nylon. These boats were heavy and large. As kayak and canoe designs have evolved, boats have become lighter and smaller, allowing racers to navigate faster through the rapids and with more ease. In the 1970s, the International Canoe Federation responded by enforcing a minimum boat length and weight requirement for all competitors.
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