Canoeing & Kayaking
CANOEING AND KAYAKING BASICS
Canoeists and kayakers propel their boats through the water with paddles. The most basic canoe paddle is a wooden, aluminum, or fiberglass shaft that is about 1 m (3 ft) long. The shaft is topped with a T-shaped handle. The bottom of the shaft consists of a thin, flat blade about 1 cm (.39 in) thick and 30 cm (1 ft) wide. The canoeist holds the paddle shaft just above the blade with one hand, while the other hand grips the handle. To paddle, the canoeist sits or kneels on one knee in the canoe. He or she then dips the paddle blade into the water, slightly ahead of the body. The canoeist pulls on the lower portion of the shaft while pushing on the top handle. This motion, called a stroke, moves the canoe forward. When the canoeist completes a stroke, he or she pulls the blade out of the water, swings it forward, and dips it again, ready for another stroke.
Kayak paddles have a slightly curved or spoon-shaped blade at each end of the shaft. The flat surfaces of the two blades are positioned at a right angle to one another, so that the paddler does not have to twist the paddle when making strokes. To paddle, kayakers sit in their boats and grip the shaft with the hands at equal distances from the center of the paddle. One blade is dipped into the water slightly ahead of the kayaker’s body. The kayaker pulls on the shaft with the hand nearest that blade, propelling the boat forward. After finishing a stroke, the kayaker lifts the blade out of the water. At the same time, the kayaker dips the other blade in the water and pulls with the other hand. The kayaker continues in this motion, and the kayak moves forward and stays on a straight path.
Canoeists and kayakers should be strong swimmers. They should also wear a life vest in case they fall into the water. Canoeists and kayakers who navigate fast-moving and dangerous water should wear helmets. If they fall out of the canoe or kayak, the helmet will protect their heads.
Canoes and kayaks have been used for travel and transportation for hundreds of years by people of many cultures. Originally, canoes and kayaks were built of such materials as wood (covered with bark) and whalebone (covered with animal skins), but now they are usually constructed of molded plastic and fiberglass, aluminum alloys (mixtures of metals), and other materials. As a competitive sport, canoeing was invented by John MacGregor of Scotland, who in 1866 founded the Canoe Club at Richmond, Surrey, England. In 1924 the sport's governing body, the International Canoe Federation, was founded. The organization is now located in Budapest, Hungary.
Canoeing debuted at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris as a demonstration sport—that is, as an event that was not officially part of the Olympic program. It soon became a popular sport in Europe. Sprint canoeing and kayaking gained inclusion as official Olympic sports, or medal sports, at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. They have been part of the Olympic sporting program since. Slalom and wild water canoeing and kayaking were developed in the 1930s as well, and slalom canoeing and kayaking gained medal status for the Olympics in 1972, 1992, 1996, and 2000. Sprint world championships were first held in 1938 in Vaxholm, Sweden, and then annually from 1970, with the exception of Olympic years. Slalom world championships have been held every two years since 1949, when they were held in Geneva, Switzerland, and wild water championships have been held every two years since 1959, when they were held in Treignac, France. The strongest national teams have traditionally come from Europe, with Germany, Sweden, Norway, Hungary, the former Yugoslavia, the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, France, and Italy encountering the most success. The United States is recognized as a leading competitor in slalom competition.
