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Canoe / Kayak (Olympic sport since 1936)
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Flatwater |
History |
Equipment |
Glossary |
About
The history of the canoe and kayak has been traced back thousands of years to when natives used these craft to hunt, fish and travel. Canoes were used mainly by the native North and South American Indians along with the Polynesian islanders of the Pacific. They were propelled through the water by single-bladed paddles usually made from wood.
The earliest known archaeological evidence of a canoe was unearthed at the tomb of a Sumerian king near the Euphrates River. This relic is estimated to be around 6000 years old. The counterpart of the American Indian canoe is the kayak which was introduced by Eskimos many years ago. These people inhabited the land to the far north of the American continent and Greenland.
Flatwater
About
A whalebone and driftwood frame, with a sea-lion skin stretched tautly over it and waterproofed with whale fat, hardly suggests a budding Olympic sport. Yet the kayaks that meant life to the Inuits in the Arctic for centuries have become the racing kayaks of the modern world - even if the building materials have changed.
The link was 19th century British barrister John MacGregor. He studied the ancient kayaks, designed a similar boat and disappeared into the rivers and lakes of Europe's wilderness to become a noted travel writer of his time. When others copied his boat, he founded the Royal Canoe Club, and canoe regattas began a year later in 1866.
Canoe/kayak, consisting solely of the sprint, was a demonstration competition at the 1924 Olympic Games before gaining full-medal status in 1936. Europe remains the traditional power base, led by Germany, Sweden and the athletes of the former Soviet Union.
Competition
Races are held on flat water, with competitors assigned to lanes. Women compete only in kayaks, the closed boats paddled from a sitting position with a double-blade paddle. Men race in kayaks and canoes, the open boats paddled from a kneeling position with a single-blade paddle.
Women race in the 500-metre K1, K2 and K4 (denoting one, two or four paddlers in a kayak). Men compete in the 500m and 1000m K1 and K2, 1000m K4 and 500m and 1000m C1 and C2 (canoe).
List of events
-- C-1 1000m (canoe single) Men
-- C-1 500m (canoe single) Men
-- C-2 1000m (canoe double) Men
-- C-2 500m (canoe double) Men
-- K-1 1000m (kayak single) Men
-- K-1 500m (kayak single) Men
-- K-1 500m (kayak single) Women
-- K-2 1000m (kayak double) Men
-- K-2 500m (kayak double) Men
-- K-2 500m (kayak double) Women
-- K-4 1000m (kayak four) Men
-- K-4 500m (kayak four) Women
History
Discipline's origin
Many years ago, canoeing began as a mode of transport. Canoes were used for fishing and hunting, and as a means for carrying soldiers into battle. There are two basic types of canoe. The original canoe, an open-topped bark canoe, was a dug-out type developed by Native North Americans. In the northern Arctic regions, the Aleuts and Inuits developed the close-topped kayak, which kept the frigid Arctic waters from entering the canoe. The kayaks were made by stretching animal skins over a frame of wood.
Competition in canoes began in the mid-19th century. The Royal Canoe Club of London was formed in 1866 and was the first organisation interested in developing the sport. In 1871 the New York Canoe Club was founded. Today competition is contested in either Canadian style canoes, similar to the dug-out Indian style canoe, or kayaks.
World championships in canoeing began in 1938. The first international federation to govern canoeing was the Internationale Representantskapet för Kanotidrott (IRK) which was formed in 1924. After World War II, this organisation was succeeded by the F¨¦d¨¦ration Internationale de Canoë (FIC).
Olympic history
In 1924, canoeing was on the Olympic programme as a demonstration sport. Canoeing became a full medal sport in 1936 with both canoe and kayak events. The programme has varied a great deal over the years with many events now discontinued and several new ones added. Women began Olympic canoeing, competing only in kayaks, in 1948.
Canoeing is popular in Europe, which absolutely dominates the sport at the Olympic Games and in international competition. Over 90% of all Olympic medals in canoeing have been won by European nations. The trend in recent years has been towards shorter races. Initially, world championship races were contested over 1000 and 10,000 metres for men and 5000 metres for women. However, the longest distance races were discontinued after the 1956 Olympics and the 1993 World Championships. World Championships are now contested over 200, 500, and 1000 metres, while Olympic events are held over 500 and 1000 metres. Events are held for men with one, two, or four paddlers in a canoe or kayak. Women compete only in kayak events both at the Olympics and internationally, in singles, doubles, and quads.
Equipment
Canoe
A light, narrow, open boat propelled by one or more paddlers from a kneeling position, using single-bladed paddles.
Blade
The wide part of a paddle which passes through the water.
Cockpit
The enclosed space in a kayak or slalom canoe where the paddler or paddlers sit.
Deck
The closed-in area over the bow and/or stem of a canoe or kayak, intended to shed water and strengthen the gunwales.
Double-bladed paddle
A paddle with a blade at each end, used in kayaks to paddle on each side of the boat.
Grip
The end of a canoe paddle opposite from the blade.
Hull
The frame or body of a boat.
Kayak
Any of various light canoes imitating an Inuit hunting craft made watertight by a flexible closure around the waist of the seated occupant.
Single-bladed paddle
A paddle with a blade at one end.
Paddle
The canoe paddler uses a paddle which has one flat blade on one end of the paddle shaft, which may not be fixed to the boat in any way.
Spray skirts
Paddlers wear spray skirts which attach around the cockpit and seal them into the boat to prevent water from entering.
Glossary
50-second penalty: A penalty against slalom paddlers for, usually, failing to pass through a gate.
Beam: The widest part of a canoe.
Bow: The front of a boat.
Bowhand: A paddler who kneels or sits in the forward position of a canoe or kayak; also know as a "bowman".
Bowman: A paddler who kneels or sits in the forward position of a canoe or kayak; also known as a "bowhand".
Broach: To become caught in the current against an obstruction and turn sideways, a dangerous situation.
Chute: An area where a river is suddenly constricted, compressing and amplifying the current's energy into a narrow tongue of water.
Downstream: In the same direction as the flow of the water.
Downstream gate: A green-and-white-striped slalom gate negotiated in the same direction as the flow of the water.
Draw: A stroke pulling in towards the paddler at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, causing the bow of the canoe to turn in the direction of the drawing side when performed by the bowhand.
Eddy: A pool of calmer water out of the main current of a stream, where upstream gates often are placed.
Eskimo roll: The rolling over, or capsizing, of a canoe, with the paddler remaining in place, and the subsequent righting of the canoe at the completion of the roll.
False start: A start when one or more boats take off too early.
Five-metre rule: A rule prohibiting any boat from coming within five metres of the boat positioned next to it, thereby preventing it from riding the other boat's wash.
Flat water: Lake water or a slow-moving river current with no rapids.
Gunwale: The upper edge of a canoe's side (pronounced "gunnel").
Heat: The early divisions of a competition, with the top finishers advancing to the finals or semi-finals.
J stroke: A paddle stroke that ends with a rudder manoeuvre.
Keel: The ridge running the length of a canoe on the bottom.
Kevlar: An extruded fibre, composed of synthetic long-chain polyamides, which is extremely strong and resistant to high temperatures.
Line: The path a whitewater paddler chooses to take through the gates.
Riding the wash: Gaining an unfair advantage in sprint events by travelling in the wash of the next boat and being pulled along by it.
River left: The left side of the waterway as it appears to a paddler facing downstream.
River right: The right side of the waterway as it appears to a paddler facing downstream.
Rudder: 1. to drag the paddle to create resistance, causing the stern of a canoe to turn in the direction of the rudder side when performed by the sternsman. 2. a board or plate of wood or metal hinged vertically at the stern of a sprint kayak as a means of steering.
Run: One trip on the course.
Shaft: The narrow part of a paddle, gripped by the paddler.
Slalom: A zigzag contest for canoes, similar to a downhill skiing race, over a winding course defined by artificial obstacles.
Spray skirt: A cover worn by paddlers in whitewater events that attaches around the cockpit and seals the paddler into the boat to prevent water from entering.
Sprint: A straight canoe/kayak race on open, flat water.
Stem: The forward part of a boat.
Stern: The back end of a boat.
Sternsman: A paddler who kneels or sits in the back position of a canoe or kayak.
Sweep: A stroke made in a broad curve, turning a canoe in the direction opposite the sweeping side when performed by the sternsman.
Thwart: A supporting member of a canoe's structure, extending across the canoe from side to side between the gunwales.
Two-second penalty: A penalty assessed against slalom paddlers who touch a gate pole while attempting to pass through a gate.
Upstream: Against the flow of the water.
Upstream gate: A red-and-white-striped slalom gate that must be negotiated against the flow of the water.
Wash: The rough or broken water left behind a moving boat.
Whitewater: Denoting a race over turbulent, heavily aerated water caused by the water flowing around or over obstacles in the current.
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