| Sprint kayaking is an Olympic sport held on flat water over either 500 or 1000 metres. At World Championship level there is also a 200m event. Competitors race in a single, double or four man kayak over the distance from a stationary start. Competitions are held on a course with 9 lanes, heats, semi-finals and finals. First across the finish line wins. Top specification race boats are high tech made from carbon fibre and built for straight line speed. They have a small rudder at the rear to aid turning when necessary and for helping to keep the kayak in a straight line when racing. Kayaking is a relatively cheap and easy sport to get into with many different disciplines to choose from. To find your nearest canoe and kayak club visit the British Canoe Union website club locator here or the start paddlesport site here. To find out more about the national sprint canoe and kayak team see the Great Britain canoeing site here. |