CANOE SLALOM BY: ERIC MOORE
Competition Dates! Sunday July 29- Thursday 2 August. Times may vary as competition continues.
How do you play? Canoe Slalom competitions consist of timed runs down a white water course, with up to 25 gates. The red gates must be navigated upstream. The green gates must be navigated down stream.
Medal Events! There are 4 medal events. Men’s canoe single. Canoe double. Kayak Single. Women’s kayak single.
What are some words used in canoeing? Eddy- a white water feature downstream from an obstacle. Drop- a fall of water creating a fast current and tough eddies. Hole(stopper)- a whitewater reversal of flow. PFD- a paddler’s buoyancy aid; short for personal flotation device. Spraydeck- a cover worn around the paddler’s waist and stretched over the cockpit entrance to keep water out of the boat. Upstream gate- a slalom gate with red poles that has to be negotiated against the water’s flow.
Fact Information: Events are held at the Lee Valley White Water Centre. There are a total of 82 competitors in this sport, 61 men, 21 women. Canoe Slalom made its debut at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games, but didn’t become a permanent part of the Olympic Programme until Barcelona 1992!
Athletes. Scott Parson. Male. 33 years old. Born in Toledo. 5’10” tall. 161 lbs. Caroline Queen. Female. 20 years old. Born in Knoxville. 5’2” tall. 146 lbs.