Rules of the Canoe Slalom Event in the 2024 Paris Olympics

Requiring critical thinking and quick movements to navigate the roaring waters, the canoe slalom is an exhilarating event in the Olympics. After entering the Olympics for the first time in 1972 in Munich, the canoe slalom has continued to grow in popularity. Rules and Techniques In the artificial whitewater course filled with unpredictable water, athletes have the ultimate goal of completing the course in the quickest time possible. While watching the canoe slalom, you will notice the athletes darting between red and green gates. The course typically has 18-25 of these colored-coded gates in which the paddlers must go through. The color, red or green, dictates the direction the athlete must go. Green gates are to be completed in the downstream direction and red gates are for upstream maneuvers. In the Olympic course, there are a minimum of 6 gates designed for upstream navigation. While navigating the gates, athletes must take note of their body positioning and proximity to the poles. Touching the gates, mov