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Canoe slalom
is one of the most spectacular watersports, demanding skill,
stamina and courage. The aim is to run a rapid river course
marked by "gates" fast, and without touching.
A "gate" is two
poles, suspended over the water. Green and white gates are
negotiated in a downstream direction, red and white gates upstream.
A touch is penalised with 2 seconds added to the competitor's time.
Missing a gate costs 50 seconds - a wipeout in serious competition.
Each competitor makes two runs down the course and the times are
added together in Premier and Division 1 competitions, or in the
lower divisions, the fastest run counts. |
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Four classes
compete: Men's and Ladies' Kayak, Canadian Singles and Canadian
Doubles; there are also classes by age - J12 (12 years old and
under) J14 (14 and under) J16 and J18, and also Vet (veteran -
over 35 in Div 2 - 4, over 30 in Prem and Div 1.) Registering
for age groups in competition can often bring a trophy or a
medal even if you don't win, as events with large numbers of
entrants often give awards for the highest placed paddler in
their category, regardless of their overall placing.
For photos of some canoe slalom competitors, see the Slalom Gallery page. Slalom events take place throughout the summer months and well into the autumn for all levels of ability, on rivers throughout the UK. For photographs and descriptions of just some of the rivers used, see the www.canoeslalom.co.uk page. Current national rankings of the club's slalom paddlers can be seen on the Slalom Rankings page. For all you need to know about canoe slalom in the UK then visit www.canoeslalom.co.uk |
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