Slalom & Kayak Cross - ACA

Olympic & Paralympic

Slalom & Kayak Cross

The Olympic Canoe Slalom (CSL) discipline is a timed event where athletes navigate a minimum of 150m and a maximum of 400m long whitewater course through rapids and a combination of 18 to 25 downstream (green) and upstream (red) gates, of which six or eight must be upstream gates. The athlete receives a 2-second penalty for a touched gate and a 50-second penalty for a missed gate or incorrect gate navigation.

Canoe slalom is contested by two types of boats, a canoe (C) and a kayak (K). An athlete knees in a canoe and propels the boat with the single-blade paddle. An athlete uses the double-bladed paddle in a seated position in a kayak. At an international level, male (M) and female (W) athletes currently compete in four individual events: Single Kayak (MK1 & WK1) and Single Canoe (MC1 & WC1).

The canoe slalom originated in Switzerland in 1933 as a summer alternative to slalom skiing. It debuted as an Olympics sport during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, and it has appeared continuously in the Olympic program since the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain. Earlier, Canoe Slalom was also known as the “Whitewater Slalom.”

In previous Olympics, the USA Canoe Slalom team has earned 1 Gold Medal (MC2), 2 Silver Medals (WK1), and 2 Bronze Medals (MC1 & WK1).

Tokyo Olympics Results: Michal Smolen (MK1 – 5th), Zachary Lokken (MC1 – 7th), and Evy Leibfarth (WK1 – 12th, WC1 – 18th).

 

Regional Teams Initiative

The Slalom Development Sub-Committee is excited to bring back an initiative designed to grow participation in youth slalom and support our local race organizers. The Regional Teams Initiative will award a cash prize to the top athletes ages 16 years and younger in each geographic region. This prize will fund the attendance of a training camp at RIVERSPORT in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma during the Olympics!

 

2024 USA Canoe Slalom Olympic Team

2024 USA Canoe Slalom Senior National Team

2024 USA Canoe Slalom U23 National Team

2024 USA Canoe Slalom Junior National Team

2023 Canoe Slalom – International Right to Compete

Senior Events:
Besides athletes nominated to the USA National Team, the following athletes have earned the right to compete and represent the USA at international events, including the 2021 ICF CSL World Cups and World Championship.

Women Canoe Single (WC1):

  • Isabella Altman

Women Kayak Single (WK1):

  • Marcella Altman

U23 Events:
Besides the athletes nominated to the USA U23 Canoe Slalom (CSL) Team, the following athletes have earned the right to compete and represent the USA at the international events, including the 2021 ICF U23 CSL World Championship.

Women Canoe Single (WC1)

  • Marcella Altman

Men Canoe Single (MC1):

  • Alden Henrie

Women Kayak Single (WK1):

  • Marcella Altman

Men Kayak Single (MK1):

  • John Coleman Christie-Williams

Junior Events:
Besides the athletes nominated to the USA Junior Canoe Slalom (CSL) Team, the following athletes have earned the right to compete and represent the USA at the international events, including the 2021 ICF Junior CSL World Championship.

Women Kayak Single (WK1):

  • Laura Plata
  • Lucy Crino

Men Canoe Single (MC1):

  • Luca Bohn
  • Ian LaRiche

Women’s Kayak Single (MK1):

  • Laura Plata
  • Lucy Crino