Tips and figures

Stroke rate:

Stroke

Number of strokes performed at any given time. Kayakers do 130 to 150 strokes per minute, while canoeists do 70 to 80.

Spray skirts:

Paddlers wear 'spray skirts' that attach around the cockpit and seal them into the boat to prevent any water from entering.

Heats:

The early divisions of a competition, with the top finishers advancing to the finals or semi-finals.

Spray skirts

Berlin 1936

:

In 1924, canoeing was on the Olympic program as a demonstration sport. It became a full medal sport at Berlin 1936 with both canoe and kayak events. Women began competing (in kayaks only) in 1948.

Munich 1972:

Slalom canoeing joined the Olympics in 1972 in Munich. The sport was not contested in the Olympics between 1976 and 1988, but returned to the Olympic program in 1992 and has been a part of it ever since.

"9":

The number of kayaks or canoes in each heat and in the final must not exceed nine.

300 meters:

The slalom course is 300m long. It must consist of 18-25 gates, seven of which must be upstream.

50-second penalty:

A penalty against slalom paddlers, usually awarded for failing to pass through a gate.