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Canoe sprint

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This article is about canoe racing. For other forms canoeing and kayaking, see Canoeing.

This article discusses competitive forms canoe and kayak racing, most of which are governed by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). Canoe and kayak events have been part of Olympic competition since 1936.[1]

ICF rules

The International Canoe Federation is the world wide canoeing organization and creates the standard rules for the different disciplines of canoe/kayak competition. The ICF recognises several competitive and non-competitive disciplines of canoeing, of which Sprint and Slalom are the only two competing in the Olympic games. The United States Canoe Association is widely considered the American authority in sport and recreational canoeing, and recognizes many ICF classes. Other national competition rules are usually based on the rules of the ICF.

Marathon

Marathon racing is not an Olympic sport. In non-Olympic years, the main events are the World Championships.

Marathons are long distance races on rivers, lakes, estuaria or open sea. The course may include obstacles such as shallows, rocks and portages. Under ICF rules, the minimum distances for international races are 20 km for men, and 15 km for women. The races may be divided in several parts and/or several days. World Cup and World Championship races normally are about 35 to 40 km long.

As there are no maximum distances, marathon racing has its extremes, such as Dipole Challenge 170 km (105 miles) non-stop through the night in November, Lithuania: Dipolio issukis, the Classique international de canots in Quebec Canada, (120 mile, 3 day, three stage event) Hawkesbury Canoe Classic in New South Wales, Australia, Devizes to Westminster Marathon in England (125 miles, i.e. about 200 km), the Tour de Gudenå in Denmark (120 km), the Texas Water Safari (262 mi), the Missouri River 340[2] (nonstop 340 miles), the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon (nonstop 120 miles), the Berg River Canoe Marathon (248 km), Fish River Canoe Marathon (81 km), Dusi Canoe Marathon (125 km), Vaal River Marathon, in South Africa, the YMCA (formerly Red Cross) Murray Marathon, 404 km down the Murray River in Australia, the Yukon River Quest (715 km) from Whitehorse to Dawson on the Yukon River, and the longest canoe and kayak race, the Yukon 1000 (1000 miles, 1600 km) on the Yukon River from Whitehorse to the last road access point on the river in Alaska. A documentary was made about the race.

Some famous kayak marathon racers are Ivan Lawler, a seven-time world champion, and Anna Hemmings, a three-time world champion. At Olympic level, Hungary was the most successful canoeing nation overall in Sydney 2000, whilst Germany topped the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 canoeing medal tables.

Sprint

The oldest discipline of ICF canoeing, sometimes referred to as "Flatwater Racing", races are typically held for single, double and four-person sprint canoes and kayaks.

Canoe sprint takes place on a straight course divided in lanes, on calm water. The distances recognised by the ICF for international races are 200 m, 500 m, and 1000 m. Each boat has its own designated lane, except for races over more than 1000 m, where there also may be turning points. Men race in canoes and in kayaks, women in kayaks except in Canada and the United States[3] where women's canoe is an event raced at both Canada Games and National Championships. For each race a number of heats, semi-finals and a final may be necessary, depending on the number of competitors. Women's canoe debuted at the 2010 championships in Poznań, Poland.)

Slalom

Slalom racers are timed in completing a descent down the rapids of a whitewater course, in the process steering their canoes or kayaks through "gates" (a pair of suspended poles about 1 m apart), including going up against the flow, across the flow, and surfing the standing waves of the rapids. Classes include K1, C1, and C2.

Other forms of racing

Equipment

The official boats recognised by the ICF as 'International Boats' are: K1, K2, K4, C1, C2 and C4, where the number indicates the number of paddlers, “K” stands for kayak and “C” for Canadian or canoe, depending on location. Kayaks have a rudder, which is operated by the feet of the frontmost paddler. In a kayak a paddler is sitting, while in a canoe he is kneeling on one knee. The ICF rules for these boats define, among others, the maximum length, the minimum weight and the shape of the boats. For example, by ICF rules, a K1 is at most 520 cm long, and weighs at least 8 kg for marathons or 12 kg for sprints. In 2000, after the Olympic Games in Sydney, the ICF withdrew width restrictions on all boats, spurring a flurry of innovations in boat designs. Modern boats are usually made of carbon fiber and/or aramid fiber (e.g., Kevlar) with epoxy resin.

In Canada, a racing class exists for the C-15 or WC or "War Canoe", as well as a similarly designed C-4 (which is much shorter and more squat than an 'International' C-4). An antiquated boat class is the C-7, resembling a large C4 which was debuted by the ICF with little success.

Paddles for propelling are double-bladed for kayaks, and single-bladed for canoes, and are usually made of carbon fiber with epoxy. For kayaks so-called wing paddles are generally used, the blades of which are shaped to resemble a wing or spoon. The wing blade has undergone many evolutions in the past two decades, evolving from a flatter blade to one with a more pronounced curve to better catch the water. For racing canoes, the blade is typically short and broad, with a 'power face' on one side that is either flat or scalloped out. The shaft will typically be longer than a tripping canoe paddle, because the kneeling position puts the paddler higher above the surface of the water. More recent designs of canoe racing paddles often have a slight bent shaft (a concept of Gene Jensen in the 1950s) but not to the degree used in marathon paddles. Many high-performance canoe paddlers prefer the feel of a carbon-fibre shaft mated to a wooden blade, while nearly all high-performance kayak paddlers use paddles made completely of carbon fiber.[citation needed]

  • C-1 sprint canoe, with K-1 sprint kayak behind.
    C-1 sprint canoe, with K-1 sprint kayak behind.
  • Sprint K-4 racing
    Sprint K-4 racing
  • A typical racing K-2 design. Note the extremely narrow beam.
    A typical racing K-2 design. Note the extremely narrow beam.
  • A K-1 on Garonne river in Toulouse.
    A K-1 on Garonne river in Toulouse.
  • Junior Women's War Canoes (C-15) come across the line at the 2005 Canadian Canoe Association Championships, held at le bassin olympique in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
    Junior Women's War Canoes (C-15) come across the line at the 2005 Canadian Canoe Association Championships, held at le bassin olympique in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  • Marathon racers using USCA 3x27 canoes
    Marathon racers using USCA 3x27 canoes

See also

References

  1. ^ Olympic home page for Canoe/Kayak
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ (after 2000)

Additional sources

  • Watch a short video summarizing the 2010 Yukon River Quest from the ``Globe & Mail`` newspaper in Canada. Yukon River Quest 2010
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