Canoeing - slalom - Home
Australian Sports Commission
With a wall of whitewater confronting them as they hurtle down a torrential current, negotiating gates upstream and rocks downstream, slalom canoe competitors need split-second timing, mental and physical agility, strength and balance. The unique program offered by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) can provide scholarship holders with expert training, fitness testing, world-leading sports science and sports medicine services, and even access to specialised competition canoes and kayaks.
The Ultimate Test of Skill
Speed, strength and mental toughness are important attributes of an elite Slalom Canoeist. The challenge is to make their way down a whitewater river, precisely navigating through a series of ‘gates’ put in place to test their skills. However, these are not the only obstacles – rocks, water size and speed also play a crucial part in the race.
The Race Against Time
The ultimate race is against the clock. The time taken to paddle from start to finish gives the competitors their total time. However, a two second penalty is awarded for touching a gate and a 50 second penalty for missing a gate. There are so many variables that an athlete must negotiate whilst racing down the river, that it truly does make for a competitive and exciting sport.
An Explanation of Canoe Slalom
Canoe Slalom is intended to test whitewater skills in a safe environment, and the race course is set by a professional course designer. A Slalom race is held over a section of river approximately 300-400m long. The 18-25 ‘gates’ are set in position creating a ‘course’ down the river. A "gate" is two poles, suspended over the water. Red and white striped gates must be negotiated upstream and green and white striped gates are negotiated in a downstream direction.
Olympic History
Whitewater canoeing, or slalom canoeing, was first held at the Olympics in 1972 in Munich. The sport was not contested in the Olympics between 1976 and 1988, but returned to the Olympic programme in 1992. Slalom canoe racing has been contested ever since, with events in 1996 and 2000. During the Olympics and world championships, slalom racers compete in four events, three for men and one for women. Men compete in Canadian singles (C1) and doubles (C2) and kayak singles (K1), while women compete only in kayak singles (K1). During the world championships, slalom canoeists also compete for team titles. There are also wild-water canoe world championships in all four events, contested since 1989. The events have been dominated by Europeans.
In addition to competitive slalom racing, whitewater canoeists also practise by attempting to run very difficult rapids and rivers. There are numerous rating systems, but in North America the rapids are rated from Class I (the mildest) to Class VI (the most difficult). While flat racers must paddle continuously in a straight line, whitewater racers are propelled by the current of the water. They must develop the ability to slow down, stop, and turn around obstacles and racing gates.
About AIS Slalom Canoe – The Canoe / Kayak National Centre of Excellence (NCE)
The AIS canoe slalom program was introduced in January 2001 to capitalise on the legacy of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In 2005 the program became a National Centre of Excellence, which maximises the collective expertise and resources of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Australian Canoeing (AC) and the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) in a unique partnership to achieve medal winning performances and sustainable international success.
The program is based at Penrith and utilises the Penrith Whitewater Stadium (PWS), the venue that hosted the slalom events at the 2000 Games, with administrative offices at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC).
The NCE program is coach driven and athlete centred. It targets and attracts elite and potential elite athletes. It aims to fast track the development of these athletes by providing world-class coaching, facilities, infrastructure and support services in an intensive daily training and camp based environment at Penrith Whitewater Stadium. It also provides elite-level international training/competition opportunities.
The majority of the NCE squad are based in Penrith, where daily training is carried out. The remainder of athletes train with the VIS in Victoria. NCE camps are regularly held in Canberra, Penrith, Tasmania, New Zealand and Europe. From May to September the majority of NCE athletes are involved in the national team program with many camps and competitions overseas.
The National Centre of Excellence is under the leadership of National Performance Director Richard Fox. AIS/NCE Head Coach Myriam Fox and NSWIS/NCE Coach Zlatan Ibrahimbegovic are responsible for the coaching and technical direction of the program.
Slalom canoe has an international World Cup series each year, in which there are three World Cups in different countries from May to August. There is also a World Championship in each non-Olympic year from July to October.
Heath Francis