Slalom
Single-seater kayak
Slalom races are generally held on a whitewater stadium or on a course laid out on a river, but can also be practiced on natural rivers.
The course has 18 to 25 gates marked by two-colored cards (white and green or white and red) over a distance of a minimum of 250 meters and a maximum of 400 meters. Depending on the color of the door, it must be taken in the direction of the river (white and green door) or up the river (white and red door). The doors must be executed in the order of the numbers displayed. The course must contain 6 or 7 lift gates and must be navigable in a time approaching 90 seconds for a K1 man.
The competition takes place in a single timed round. Penalties are added if the competitor touches a door (2 points per door touched) or if he misses a door (50 points). The sum of the penalties is then converted into seconds and added to the time of the heats. Competitors are not allowed to practice the course before the race.
Three types of boats are authorized for these competitions:
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
the single-seater kayak, it must be at least 3.50 m long, 0.60 m wide and weigh 8 kg
the single-seater canoe, it must be at least 3.50 m long, 0.65 m wide and weigh 8 kg
the two-seater canoe, it must be at least 4.10 m long, 0.75 m wide and 13 kg in weight
First, you have to have a good paddle stroke. That is to say that the blow must be sought far ahead, vertically in the water and the release must take place at the level of the bust. In slalom, power counts as much as technique.
The incidence call and towed call:
This gesture is a movement of direction which requires current. Either that of the river, or that which is generated by your propulsion. We use the current to turn. For example, for a left turn, the active left blade is placed forward, vertically and a little far from your side. Beforehand, the right hand "unscrews" the handle in order to present the belly of the active blade to the current and the kayak comes to turn around the blade. This action will be all the more effective as your wedges will ensure perfect transmission between the kayak and your pool. We prepare the turn by the rotation of the bust on the pelvis we turn the boat by the rotation of the pelvis on the bust (the pelvis catches up with the bust). In a current recovery for example after making a call in incidence you can extend your movement in propulsion. Indeed at the end of your rotation the angle of attack of the active blade returns to a normal propulsive position. This is the towed call. In the work of the slalom gates, we often observe this figure and even a repetition of this gesture to regain a support and finish its rotation. In this case the active blade remains in the water and it is replaced forward by a sculling gesture.
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