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European nations have dominated canoeing events since its introduction into the Olympics as a demonstration sport in 1924 and as a permanent fixture in 1936, with Germany and Slovakia leading the all-time medal tables in the sprint and slalom categories respectively. read more
 "Canoeing - history, rules, defending champions")
USA’s Nevin Harrison is the defending champion in the women’s sprint C-1 200m category. AP
Canoes have been used as a form of transport since the dawn of human civilisation, with the Dufuna caneo discovered in Nigeria dating back to 8,500-8,000 BCE.
Caneoing as a form of recreation and sport, however, goes back to the 1860s when John MacGregor, a Scottish lawyer, sportsman, traveller and a philanthropist who is credited with designing sailing canoes. Said canoes had a mast and a sail as well as paddles. He later founded the Canoe Club, which became the Royal Canoe Club in 1873 with other notable sportspersons and travellers.
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Elsewhere, the New York Canoe Club would be founded in 1871 with the American Canoe Association coming into existence as the sport’s governing body nine years later. Canada would have its own association at the start of the 20th century, with Britain following suit in 1936, the same year it would make its Olympic debut in Berlin.
The International Canoe Federation was formed in 1946 a year after the end of the Second World War, and has served as the global governing body for the sport ever since.
What is canoeing’s history at Olympics?
The sprint discipline of Canoeing was first introduced in the 1924 Paris Games as a demonstration sport, and would be permanently included in the 1936 Berlin Games, and has been part of the world’s biggest sporting event ever since.
Canoe Slalom, on the other hand, made its Olympic debut in Munich 1972, and would be included as a permanent fixture 20 years later in the Barcelona Games.
Germany leads the all-time Olympic medal table in the sprint category with a total of 62 medals — 29 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze. Slovakia, on the other hand, leads the Slalom table with 15 medals — 8 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze.
What are the rules?
Though they use similar boats, canoe and kayak races differ in the position in which the athletes are seated as well as in the paddles that are used. While canoeists kneel in the boat and use a single-blade paddle at one side while kayakers are seated and use a double-bladed paddle.
There are two distinct disciplines of canoeing — sprint and slalom — and both are part of the Olympic programme, the latter making its debut much later.
Sprints take place on flatwater and feature races that take place over varying distances — from 200 metres to 1000 metres. They can be contested with a single person in the boat, or with multiple persons with a maximum of four.
Slalom races, on the other hand, take place on an artificial white-water course in which canoeists have to navigate boats through a course of gates in the fastest time possible, while ensuring they don’t end up touching the gates. The number of gates in canoe slalom race can vary anywhere between 18 to 25.
The 2024 Paris Olympics will witness the debut of kayak cross — a contact-permitted sport in which kayakers can use their paddles to thwart the competition. They also must perform an eskimo roll — flipping a full 360 degrees in the kayak before returning to an upright position — before crossing the finish line.
Who are the reigning champions?
Men’s Slalom
C-1: Benjamin Savsek, Slovenia.
K-1: Jiri Prskavek, Czech Republic.
Women’s Slalom
C-1: Jessica Fox, Australia.
K-1: Ricarda Funk, Germany.
Men’s Sprint
C-1 1000m: Isaquias Queiroz, Brazil.
C-2 1000m: Serguey Torres and Fernando Jorge, Cuba.
K-1 200m: Sandor Totka, Hungary.
K-1 1000m: Balint Kopasz, Hungary.
K-2 1000m: Jean van der Westhuyzen and Thomas Green, Australia.
K-4 500m: Max Rendschmidt, Ronald Rauhe, Tom Liebscher and Max Lemke, Germany.
Women’s Sprint
C-1 200m: Nevin Harrison, United States.
C-2 500m: Xu Shixiao and Sun Mengya, China.
K-1 200m: Lisa Carrington, New Zealand.
K-1 500m: Lisa Carrington, New Zealand.
K-4 500m: Danuta Kozak, Tamara Csipes, Anna Karasz and Dora Bodonyi, Hungary.
How many athletes have qualified in canoeing?
A total of 199 athletes have qualified for the canoeing event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Who are the athletes to watch in canoeing?
Lisa Carrington, New Zealand: Carrington won three gold medals at the Tokyo Games; the K-1 200 meters, the K-1 500 meters and the K-2 500 meters.
Casey Eichfeld, United States: The 34-year-old Eichfeld is going to his fourth Olympics after competing in Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro.
Aimee Fisher, New Zealand: Fisher recently beat Carrington in the K-1 500 at the ICF Canoe World Cup and set the world’s best time in the event this year.
Evy Leibfarth, United States: The 20-year-old Leibfarth will be the first American woman to compete in three whitewater events; canoe slalom, kayak slalom and kayak cross. She finished 18th in canoe slalom and 12th in kayak slalom at the Tokyo Olympics when she was 17.
Nevin Harrison, United States: Harrison won the C-1 200-meter race in Tokyo and is back to try again.
When will canoeing take place at Paris Olympics?
Canoe slalom, including kayak cross, begins on 27 July. The finals are held from 28 July to 5 August. Canoe sprint begins on 6 August. The finals are held from 8 to 10 August. Canoeing events will be held at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
With inputs from AP
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English (US) ·