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Imagine: you are at the start for an international slalom in the heart of the Alps. 40 cubic metres of water thunder past you every second, and you are in a little boat weighing barely 20 pounds. Your mind is so focused that you can't even hear the water. You are thinking only about the 18 gates that you must not miss. Above all, that key sequence, the one that has already put paid to some competitors' hopes after months of training. 5 beeps from the electronic starter. At the 5th, you're away. The first part of the course has been designed to tear your arms off. On the bank, your supporters are going crazy - but you can hear nothing. You haven't cleared one gate before you focus on the next. Half the course done. So far, no touches. Your arms are getting pumped, your body is steaming despite the chill of the river. Now, the key passage. Total concentration. One slip will destroy you. Triumph or disaster is here, and you know it. You're through. Rising confidence: you push harder still, though your arms are nearly paralysed. You must stay focused, you could blow it even in the last gate. And you are there. The final sprint. 10 metres to the finishing gate. 10 metres. Eternity. Borrowed from the FFCK's slalom page and translated by Nick Penfold |
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Whitewater slalom, which was originally modelled on ski slalom, began in Switzerland in 1932. Slalom canoeing had begun on flat water, but soon switched to white water rapids on natural rivers. World War Two set back development, especially from an Olympic point of view, but today both sprint and slalom are established Olympic disciplines. The sight of skill, strength and courage pitted against powerful water makes slalom an exciting spectator sport both live and on TV. For the competitor there is the challenge, together with fantastic friendships, cooperation between national teams, and a closeness to the river and the environment. The first Slalom World Championships were held in 1949 in Geneva. Since then there have been dramatic changes - as folding and rigid canvas canoes have been replaced by composites and rules have been changed and simplified. In 1992 canoe slalom returned to the Olympic Games, in the fantastic atmosphere under the burning sun of La Seu d´Urgell. There has been a massive increase in interest outside slalom's traditional areas, and slalom is going into the new millennium as a permanent Olympic sport.
A "gate" is two poles, suspended over the water. Green and white gates are negotiated in a downstream direction, red and white gates upstream. The gates are placed so that you must make tricky cross-current moves and use the eddies and waves. A touch is penalised with 2 seconds added to the competitor's time. Missing a gate costs 50 seconds - a wipeout in serious competition. Each competitor takes two runs, and the times are added together* Four classes compete: Men's and Ladies' Kayak, Canadian Singles and Canadian Doubles. This is a sport in which Britain excels. Richard Fox was 5 times World Champion; Lynn Simpson was Ladies World Champion; and Paul Ratcliffe has held the World Cup and took the silver medal at the Sydney Olympic Games. * At international and British Premier Division levels. In the lower divisions, the best run of two counts. If you touch a pole with anything - paddle, boat, buoyancy aid, helmet or yourself - a 2 second penalty is added to your time. If you miss a gate out, or go through in the wrong direction, the penalty is 50 seconds! The aim is fast and clean. In Division 4, where you start, it won't be too hard - a rush of water from a weir, or moving water in a stream. When you get to Division 1 it will be big and tricky! More about Divisions
The gates are positioned to test your skill in using, and coping with, the water. This is perfect training for running big whitewater rivers.
There will be an upstream gate to test your ability to break out into the eddy behind a rock; then a downstream gate the far side so that you must ferry glide or surf a wave to reach it before the river pushes you past. It takes skill, as well as speed. You must pick, and paddle, a line that turns the current to advantage. You must learn to read the water. In Division 4, where you start, it won't be too hard - a rush of water from a weir, or moving water in a stream. When you get to Division 1 it will be big and tricky! (More about Divisions further on.)
There are races for one-person kayaks and for one-person and two-person canoes - Men's K1, Women's K1, C1 and C2. A K1 is a one-seater kayak - you sit in it and use a paddle with blades at both ends. A C1, or Canadian, is a boat you kneel in, and use a one-bladed paddle. A C2 is for two paddlers, kneeling and with single-blade paddles. Paddlers of all ages compete together - but there are usually special prizes for the best in each age group.
Can women and girls enter slalom? There is a women's class for one-person kayaks. Girls can also race in the other classes, but they compete with the men on equal terms. In team races, teams of three boats work together for the fastest possible time. The team time is taken from the time the first boat starts to the time the third boat finishes - but there's a big penalty if all the third boat doesn't finish within fifteen seconds of the first. Team racing means working together, co-ordinating movement to stay close together. Good teams interweave on upstream gates. Most people treat the team competition less seriously than the individual competition and have a lot of fun doing it. Where can I learn slalom, or start canoeing generally? It depends where you live. There are clubs and watersport centres all over the country, and some clubs have slalom teaching for mixed groups or for novices. If you haven't canoed before, a starter course is a good idea. Or you can join a club. The
BCU can help you find one. The Slalom Year Book lists
clubs that are active in slalom - click for a list. The BCU World Class Start programme offers coaching to between 50 and 60 young paddlers. Look at their website if you want to know more. A lot of clubs have training nights and welcome beginners. Click for a list of clubs that are active in slalom. |
In Premier Division and International racing there
are strict rules about the length, width and minimum weight of your boat, but can use any kayak to start with. When you want a "proper" slalom kayak, buy one second-hand - you will often find them for sale at competitions. A slalom boat is light, long and low so that it can pass under the gate poles. Just go along to any "Division 4" event, find "Control" and ask for an entry card. You will be welcome! If you like you can get your entry in before the event: if you've got one, send an entry card to the address in the Calendar - or just write. If you send two envelopes with a stamp and your address on, they will send you the start list before the competition and the results afterwards. You also need to send a cheque or postal order for the entry fee (seniors, £5 and £9 for a double event: juniors, £3.30 and £5 for a double. If in doubt, pay on the day. You have to be a member BCU/SCA/WCA/CANI to race, but for a Div 4 race you can buy a one-day temporary membership. Once you win promotion to Div 3 you must join. Competitions are held all over the country from March to October. Click here for Calendar of Races for Newcomers. The programme is usually:
The main things to remember are:
Send a stout, stamped, self-addressed envelope 9" x 4" or larger to Mrs S Paterson, 14 Clay Street, Wymeswold, Loughborough LE12 6TY33. She will send you as many entry cards as the postage will cover (16 for minimum postage rate)
There are five divisions - Premier, and Divisions 1 to 4. Newcomers usually start in Division 4. When you do well, you get promoted. You build up your skill, and work your way up to bigger water and tougher competition. In Division 4, where you start, it won't be too hard - a rush of water from a weir, or moving water in a stream. When you get to Division 1 it will be big and tricky! I'm already an experienced paddler. Do I still have to work my way up the divisions? At Division 4 races, one paddler in five is promoted to Division 3 - that is, the top 20% of competitors in each class. Promotion to Div 2 and beyond goes on points. At every race you get points according to your position, and you count your best results towards your ranking and promotion. Points are a way of comparing results when there are more competitors on one race than in another. In K1M, the winner gets 1000 points and the other competitors get a "share" of 1000 on a sliding scale according to their place. In K1W and C1, the winner gets 100 points and the others a "share" of 100. In C2, points are calculated by a factored comparison with K1M times
* or winning three races For promotion from the combined Division 2/3 to Division Prem/1 in C2 you count 4 results and you need 2650 points NOTE: If your best time is equal to the winner's you get maximum points (1000 or 100) and this also counts as if it were a "win" for promotion purposes. Div 4s only – sorry! If you get promoted from Division 4 to Division 3 and apply for a full Promotion Certificate on the new form that will be given to you by the Event Organiser, you can get a discount on the entry fee for next event you enter. I used to paddle slalom. Must I start again in Div 4? If:
You can apply to be put straight into a higher division, but you'll need to show some evidence of your ability. One option is to go to a Division 2 race, enter as an "Open" competitor or judge and show your result as evidence. Contact John Woods - phone 01788 335469If you've been ranked before you mustn't race in Div 4 - sort out your ranking with John Woods and return in a suitable division to suit your abilityIf you're already ranked in another class - say, you're a Div 2 K1 paddler wanting to do C1 - you can go straight into a Division. Sort out your ranking with John WoodsPeople sometimes decide to enter a race on the spur of the moment. If you explain to the organisers they'll usually let you enter in an open event or as a judge then sort out your ranking afterwards based on the results. When you get promoted into Div 3 You should be given a form to send to the Div 3 Bib Officer. If not, click here. Send off this form, with your BCU/SCA/WCA/CANI membership card, a £9 cheque made out to BCU Slalom Committee and a big, stamped envelope (see below for postage). The Bib Officer will allocate you a number and send you the bib. The Bib Officers' names and addresses are on the form. When you get promoted into Div 2 and higher You get promoted when you've achieved two wins or the points target (see how do I get promoted). Write to your new Bib Officer and send in your old bib and another big, stamped and addressed envelope. What do I do at the end of the year? At the end of the year, paddlers are ranked for the next year according to their points, and they become entitled to a new bib number. Send in your bib to your Division's Bib Officer, with a stamped, addressed envelope (a small one will do). The Bib Officer will send you a voucher. How do I get my new bib at the start of the year? In January or February, fill in a bib application form (click here to get one), fill it in and send it off to the bib officer for your division (listed on the form) with: Your BCU/SCA/WCA membership card Your bib voucher or a £9 cheque made out to BCU Slalom Committee A big, stamped and addressed envelope A bib can be posted as a “large letter” for 70p* (first class) or 60p* (2nd Class) BUT the envelope must not be bigger than 353mm X 250mm and it must (easily) go through a 25mm slot. Bibs are tricky. You can fold one to be within this rule, but it’s easy to make it too thick. MORE> Enquiry Any other questions? Email |
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You have to be a member BCU/SCA/WCA/CANI to race, but for a Div 4 race you can buy a one-day temporary membership. Once you win promotion to Div 3 you must join. Here is who to contact about joining
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Precision - What? How? - 2008 Calendar - Results - Bibs - K1 Women - Bibs - K1 Men - Bibs - C1 - Bibs - C2 - Bibs - Vets - Rankings - Premier - Rankings - Division 1 - Rankings - Division 2 - Rankings - Division 3 - Rankings - C2 Prem/1 and Div 2/3 - J12 League - J14 League - J16 League - J18 League - Course Guide - Small Ads - Chatter - Links - Committee Pages |
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Canoe slalom is one of the most spectacular watersports, demanding skill, stamina and courage. The aim is to run a rapid river course marked by "gates" fast, and without touching.
Slalom paddlers are grouped so that they can race others of
similar ability, on water that is appropriate to their skill.
British Canoe Union
