Canoe Slalom
Race a kayak or canoe through 18–25 gates on whitewater — hit a gate and you take a two-second penalty.
👥1 per team🌤outdoor
What is Canoe Slalom?
Canoe slalom is an Olympic whitewater sport in which paddlers race single-seater kayaks (K1) or canoes (C1) through a course of 18–25 hanging gates on a whitewater river or artificial course. Some gates must be paddled downstream, others upstream, in a set order. A missed gate costs 50 seconds; a touch costs two. Fastest total time wins.
Quick facts
Category
Aquatic Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇨🇭 Switzerland
Estimated origin
1932, Switzerland (as "whitewater slalom")
Olympic
Yes
Popularity
major
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified