Paracanoe - ACA
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Olympic & Paralympic

Paracanoe

Paracanoe is the canoeing discipline for athletes with an impairment and races are contested by two types of boat, kayak (K) and va’a (V). The kayak is propelled by a double-blade paddle, while the va’a is a rudderless, outrigger canoe which has an ama (second pontoon) as a support float and is used with a single-blade paddle. Both kayak and va’a have three different classes of events for men and women, depending on the classification of an athlete’s impairment, with KL1, KL2 and KL3 for kayak and VL1, VL2 and VL3 for va’a. At international level all paracanoe races are individual events and competed at a distance of 200m.

Paracanoe with the San Diego Canoe & Kayak Team
  • 2023 Events & Information
  • 2024 Paris Paralympic Events
  • Grants Available to Paracanoe Coaches

    • Opportunity for Paralympic Athletes:

    2-hour, 1-1 consulting with  Josh Basile, Esq. to address the diverse challenges surrounding employment, family, finances, and disability benefits to support Paralympic athletes. This attached flyer includes more information and a link to register.

    The following paracanoe sprint events are part of the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympic program:

    • Men’s Kayak Single (MKL1)
    • Men’s Kayak Single (MKL2)
    • Men’s Kayak Single (MKL3)
    • Men’s Va’a Single (MVL2)
    • Men’s Va’a Single (MVL3)
    • Women’s Kayak Single (WKL1)
    • Women’s Kayak Single (WKL2)
    • Women’s Kayak Single (WKL3)
    • Women’s Va’a Single (WVL2)

    Please click here to view a list of grants available for athletes with disabilities.

2021 US National and Paracanoe Team

Blake Haxton: MVL2

  • Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
  • 31 years old
  • 2-time Paralympian (2016, 2020)
  • Steven is also a member of the U.S. Paralympic Rowing Team; he will race in rowing and paracanoe at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games

 

Kaitlyn Verfuerth: WKL2, WKVL2

  • Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona
  • 36 years old
  • Secured a ticket to Tokyo based on her results in VL1 women 200m at the 2019 ICF world championships
  • Member of the 2004, 2008, and 2016 Paralympic tennis teams