1. Flat Water Kayaking By: Patrick Stewart

2.  Flat water kayaking is a sport based on sprints.  People paddle in very thin boats, which are a meter wide at the widest point and 15ft in length.  The goal is to paddle finish the race in the shortest period of time  The sport revolves around technique The Sport

3.  Races are that are held are called Regattas  Distances that are raced are the 100m, 200m, 500m, 1000m, 2000m, and the 6000m  Different age groups race different distances based on the age groups capabilities  When you reach a high enough level you have the choice to practice certain distances.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_SZMAYaWdU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_SZMAYaWdU The Races

4.  There are 5 different steps to Technique, and each take a long period of time to get right.  First is the Set Up. This is where one of your hands is at a 90 degree angle located close to your ear and the other is extended fully reaching forward on the side of your boat.  The catch where your paddle goes in the water  Draw is where you pull as hard as you can  Exit, where you pull the paddle out at your hip  And recovery is where you set up again and take a quick break between strokes to let the boat glide Technique

5.  Boats are made by many different companies such as Nelo of Vajda  The Canadian team is sponsored by Nelo  The average boat length is 15-17ft  The constructions of individual boats can be slightly different ranging from carbon fiber- to Epoxies and glue  The boat weight varies on build as well The Boat

6. REFERENCES http://nelo.eu/en/kayaks/details/k1_quattro_ml/ And me, my self and I