Sprint Canoe Kayak is all about speed on the water. Strength, technique, endurance and raw speed are all elements of this Olympic/Paralympic sport. Our sport isn't just for elite athletes, paddling can be enjoyed by kids as young as six to adults in their 80s+. It's a sport that involves the entire body, including the legs which push and pull to generate power with the stroke.
FAQ
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how do i get started?
Never paddled before? If you live in Canada, it’s about time to make your way to a nearby club and get involved in a uniquely Canadian sport. The fun you’ll have splashing around and learning new skills will surely inspire you to continue fulfilling your fitness goals while making new friends and enjoying the outdoors. It might even inspire you to pursue the sport on a competitive basis.
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what programs are available for kids?
Canoe Kayak Canada’s CanoeKids program get kid's active and on the water. Learn the fundamental skills of paddling and safe boating skills while enjoying the summer at your local paddling club. It’s the first step to a lifelong interest in paddling and healthy living. What better way to spend a summer vacation? |
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can i go to the olympics/paralympics?
Canoeing and kayaking has strong roots in Canada and it is fitting that we’ve experienced such phenomenal success on the world stage. If you’re interested in high performance sport, we’ve got the coaching, programming and infrastructure across the country to enable athletes to excel to the highest level. Since 1936, Canada has won 24 Olympic medals in sprint. If it’s your dream to increase that number, then we’ve got programs for you. Training groups train before school and after. Join a group of motivated teammates in pursuit of making the transition from Junior to National Team athlete to the world podium. |
is canoe & kayak an individual or team sport?
Canoe & Kayak offers a unique blend of individual and team sport. Out on the water in a single boat you can enjoy a refreshing sense of mental solitude. While training in crew boats or in a group alongside your fellow training partners, you have the chance to push one another in an inspiring and cohesive environment. The war canoe is the apex of team events in which fifteen paddlers join together. |
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can the whole family participate?
Many generations of families have grown up at local canoe clubs. The families who make the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships their summer vacation will tell you there is no better family photo than one with a few medals. |
is there an age limit?
The many adults who make the annual trek to the Canadian Master’s Championships and enjoy paddling – some of them into their 70s and 80s – are testament to this statement. Enrolling your kids in Canoe/Kayak doesn’t mean you have to sit on the sidelines watching. Masters groups paddle at clubs across the country several morning or evenings a week. It’s a great way to stay in shape while being social. And if you want some time to relax on the sidelines before or after practice, the lakefront isn’t a bad place to do that either. |
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can persons with a disability participate?
Anyone who has experienced the joy of paddling would surely agree that it is something to be made accessible to everyone. Canoe Kayak Ontario Sprint is a leader in creating opportunities for people with disabilities. Paracanoe programs offer persons with disabilities the opportunity to pursue sport to the highest level. Paracanoe made its debut on the 2016 Paralympic program. Athletes compete in different categories based on the ability they have in their legs, trunk and arms. The fact that you don’t need to be able to run or walk makes this an ideal sport for people with limited use of their lower body. Canoe Kayak Ontario is also a Partner in Play sport with Special Olympics Ontario. Many clubs provide programs for persons with intellectual disabilities. These programs allow persons with disabilities to enjoy paddling, learn new skills, have influential role models and gain self-confidence in the true spirit of the sport. |
what is LTAD?
Canoe Kayak Canada has a Long-Term Athlete Development Model that follows Canadian Sport for Life’s framework. Appropriate phases of development are defined for specific age groups based on science and research. By aligning programming with CS4L’s strategy to improve the quality of sport in Canada, Canoe Kayak Canada and Canoe Kayak Ontario Sprint are increasing participation in sport and creating a pathway for athletes to reach their fullest potential. |
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what type of equipment is used?
Racing canoes and kayaks are extremely narrow and balancing in them requires some skill. Boats used in competition must meet international standards governing length and minimum weight. There are one, two and four-person kayaks and canoes, as well as a 15-person war canoe. The main race distances are 200, 500 and 1000 metres. The 200 metre is a pure sprint event which attracts paddlers with the fastest raw speed. Endurance is a bigger factor in the 1000 and 500 metre events. Athletes usually specialize in an event later in their career. Kayakers use a double-bladed paddle and are seated in the boat. They have a rudder for steering and control a stick with their feet. Canoers balance on one knee and paddle only on one side of the boat. They steer entirely with their paddle and do a “J” stroke to make the boat run straight. In crew boats, the back person of the canoe steers but in kayak it’s the “stroke” or front person who controls the rudder. The stroke also sets the rate and synchronization is key for crew boat performance. Canoers specialize on the right side or left and are paired up with the opposite-sided paddler for crew boats. |
What is a regatta?
A regatta is our name for a competition where nine boats line up head-to-head, spaced across the race course in nine-metre wide lanes. A starting gate system is often used to hold the nose of each boat and drops below the water with the starting signal. At the finish line competitors give a final “shoot” by throwing their weight backwards and pushing the nose of the boat forward to edge out the competition. The paddler must cross the line in their boat for the result to count. Digital timing systems are used to clock the competitor’s finish right down to the thousandth of a second. A typical competition format starts with preliminary heats in which the fastest boats advance to semis and finals. Sometimes the top finishers in a heat will qualifying directly for the final. The fastest qualifier is seated in the middle lane with the next fastest on either side, right out until lanes one and nine. Competitors must stay within the middle section of their nine-metre lane to prevent them from gaining an advantage by riding the wash of a leading boat. There are also longer distance races like the 5000 metre that begin with a mass start. Conventional lanes are thrown to the wayside as paddlers do loops of the course. They jockey for positions around the turns, strategize, and ride wash with their competitors to conserve energy for the final breakaway in a true test of on-water endurance. |