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A classic test and combination of
speed, power, endurance and balance.
One of the oldest Olympic Sports - and one of the most difficult.
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Sprint/Flatwater canoe (also known as "high-kneel") is currently an Olympic event for men, but not for women, and is the companion sport to sprint kayak (an Olympic event for men and women). Race distances are 1000, 500 and 200 meters respectively and are competed on a straight, buoyed course with 9 lanes, each boat in a separate lane. The paddling style in this Olympic discipline requires the paddler to be kneeling on one knee (similar to the position of one being "Knighted"), and to use a single blade paddle (which is slightly shorter than the height of the athlete, usually up to about the bridge of the nose).
There are currently 12 flatwater sprint events on the Olympic Program. Men compete in single and double canoes and kayaks at distances of 500 and 1,000 meters and in four-man kayaks over 1,000 meters. Women compete in single, double and four-women kayaks in 500 meter races, only.
In non-Olympic competitions (e.g., World Championships, Pan American Championships, World Cups, etc.) there are kayak events for men and women in single (K1), double (K2) and four boats (K4) in all 3 distances, and canoe events, only for men, in single (C1), double (C2) and four boats (C4), also in all distances.
The aim of a canoe race competition is for paddlers to race each other in kayaks and canoes over a clearly defined unobstructed course in the shortest possible time according to the rules of the International Canoe Federation (ICF).
This form of racing became an Olympic discipline in 1936.
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Here are a few links to show you more about this great Olympic tradition:
Action photos and Olympic Athlete links:
S
ilver C1 1000
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What is A Sprint Canoe?
Two crafts are used in sprint racing - the canoe and the kayak. The forerunners of the modern racing boats are the Inuit's kayaks and the native people's canoe. This origin, together with the Canada Canoe/Kayak's early work internationally, led to the naming of the Olympic canoe events as the 'Canadian singles' and 'Canadian tandem'.
Canoes and kayaks are built of wood (pressed layers of various veneers), fiberglass, kevlar or other composite materials that produce a strong, light and fast craft. The Canadian C-4 and war canoe (C-15) have traditionally been made of cedar strip, although fiberglass and wood-fiberglass combinations are also common. Specifically, sprint canoes are very narrow, sleek boats made of carbon fiber, fiber glass (or both) or, for the older versions, wood (e.g., mahogany). ICF rules require these shells to meet specific length and weight requirements, e.g., a one person canoe (C1) must be 17ft in length and weigh no less than 16kg (or 35.2 pounds). There are no longer width requirements for sprint canoes and the boats currently paddled by elite athletes are as narrow as 12-14 inches wide. A The canoe structure and design and the paddling style differs significantly from the more traditional and better recognized seated position of recreational or marathon race canoeing where paddlers switch sides.
Sprint canoe is viewed as one of the most challenging sports currently in the Olympics and typically requires many years of practice to master.
Canoes and kayaks are built of wood (pressed layers of various veneers), fiberglass, kevlar or other composite materials that produce a strong, light and fast craft. The Canadian C-4 and war canoe (C-15) have traditionally been made of cedar strip, although fiberglass and wood-fiberglass combinations are also common. Specifically, sprint canoes are very narrow, sleek boats made of carbon fiber, fiber glass (or both) or, for the older versions, wood (e.g., mahogany). ICF rules require these shells to meet specific length and weight requirements, e.g., a one person canoe (C1) must be 17ft in length and weigh no less than 16kg (or 35.2 pounds). There are no longer width requirements for sprint canoes and the boats currently paddled by elite athletes are as narrow as 12-14 inches wide. A The canoe structure and design and the paddling style differs significantly from the more traditional and better recognized seated position of recreational or marathon race canoeing where paddlers switch sides.
Sprint canoe is viewed as one of the most challenging sports currently in the Olympics and typically requires many years of practice to master.
Sprint Canoe - One Person (C-1): Length: 5.20m ( 17 ft. )
Weight: 16kg ( 35.2 lbs. )
Sprint Canoe - Two Person (C-2): Length: 6.5m ( 21 ft. 3 in. )
Weight: 20kg ( 44 lbs. ) |
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