Sprint Kayaking
A kayak is a small narrow boat, propelled using a double-bladed paddle. Sprint kayak racing is all about speed, racing on flat water over distances between 200m and 1000m. The aim is to get to the finish line as fast as possible, the quickest time wins.
Sprint kayak events have been contested at the Olympics since 1936. The races are held on flat water with competitors assigned to lanes. The race is over distances of 200m, 500m and 1000m in a straight line. Competitors can be in single, double and four person boats (K1, K2 and K4).
flat-water kayakingSimilar Sports
- Canoe Slalom — is a kayaking (and canoeing) sport in which athletes use a kayak or canoe to navigate through a course that consists of hanging gates on river rapids.
- Beach Sprint Rowing — short rowing race in the open water also involving a beach sprint.
- Surf Kayaking — involves surfing in the ocean using a kayak.
- Canoe Sprint — sprint canoe racing on flat water over distances from 200m to 5000m.
- Canoeing — paddle sport in which the rider kneels or sits facing forward in a canoe.
- Kayaking is part of the Quadrathlon, an endurance sports event composed of the four individual disciplines of swimming, kayaking, cycling and running.
- Rowing — a sport in which competitors propel a boat using oars.
Related Pages
- About Paddling Sports
- About Kayaking
- Sprint Kayaking at the Summer Olympics
- Fitness For Kayaking
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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