White Water
Slalom Racing
Whitewater Slalom is a test of a paddler’s ability to combine power, speed, and precision in order to negotiate a series of 20 to 25 gates as quickly as possible. It requires pinpoint boat control, strength, stamina and concentration; it is the ultimate test of a whitewater paddler’s abilities.
Paddlers must also learn to read the water in order to use it to their best advantage. Those who can figure out how to use the river’s power to position their boat will conserve energy and usually get does the course faster. This is why you will see competitors taking different approaches to the gates, sometimes even running them backwards!
Equipment: Paddlers use either canoes or kayaks. Canoes may be either decked or open, while kayaks are generally decked boats. You might find it difficult to distinguish a decked C1 from a decked K1. K1 paddlers use a double bladed paddle and C1 paddlers use a single bladed paddle. K1 paddlers sit in their boats, while C1 paddlers kneel.
Classes: Each class has an abbreviation based on open or decked, canoe or kayak, number of paddlers, and gender of paddlers. For example, K1W is women’s single kayak and OC2M is mixed tandem open canoe. At Penn Cup races, these classes are further subdivided for Cadets (under 14), Juniors (14 to 18), and Masters (over 40).
Course: A slalom course consists of 20 to 25 gates hung over a river. The competitor must negotiate each gate in numerical order as fast as possible. Each gate consists of two striped poles suspended over the water. The poles are 3 feet apart and are either green and white (downstream gate) or red and white (upstream gate). Each gate also has a number board, which shows its place in the sequence.
Object: The task of paddlers is to run each gate in sequence, in the correct direction, and without touching them. Penalties are added to the elapsed time for any infraction. A complete slalom run without penalties is called a “clean run” and is the goal of each racer.
Single kayaks usually have the fastest times and tandem open canoes the slowest. Many races are won or lost in the upstream gates where a paddler’s control, balance, and power are all tested.
Cheering paddlers is encouraged and you will often hear the chant, “up, up, up,” as racers struggle to push their boats upstream to successfully run a difficult gate.
More information on the New England Slalom Series
Penn Cup Scores:
2018 Penn Cup Scores
2017 Penn Cup Scores
2016 Penn Cup Scores
2016 Penn Cup Scores
2014 Penn Cup Scores