Paddler's Technical Documentation Page
Canoe Marathon
1 Canoe Marathon
Competition in distance canoeing has a long history, with famous national races including the Sella Descent in Spain which was first held in 1929 and the Devizes to Westminster race in England that began in 1948. It was not until the 1960s that international competitions began to develop, and in 1975 the first steps were taken to have canoe marathon recognised by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). It would be a further nine years until the ICF congress in Sofia, Bulgaria, approved a separate committee for canoe marathon including the introduction of a world championships.
Canoe Sprints
2 Canoe Sprints
Canoe sprint takes place on a flatwater course and races are contested by two types of boat, canoe (C) and kayak (K). In a canoe, the paddler competes in a striding position using a single-blade paddle, in contrast to the double-bladed paddle used in a sitting position in a kayak. At international level the discipline is competed at four distances from 200m to 5000m, both individually and in teams of up to four. Each discipline is categorised by boat type, number of competitors per boat, gender, and race distance, meaning the example of C2M 500m is the canoe male doubles 500m.
Surfski
3 Surfski / Canoe Ocean Racing
Canoe Ocean Racing consists of long distance surfski, sea kayak and sea touring races. A surfski is the fastest boat over long distances on ocean swells, with the only flatwater boat able to go faster being an Olympic-standard canoe sprint boat. The challenges canoe ocean racing can face include large waves driven by the wind, hurricane generated ground swells and paddling in wind speeds of more than 20 knots.
Canoe Polo
4 Canoe Polo
Canoe polo is played by two teams of five players on a rectangular playing pitch that can be in open water or in a swimming pool. Matches are played over two halves of 10 minutes with the aim to score into a goal which is suspended above the water at each end of the pitch. The ball in canoe polo is the same that is used in water polo, and can be controlled by hand or by paddle. If a match ends in a tie then golden goal overtime takes place, where the next team to score is the winner.
Wave Ski
5 Wave Ski
Waveski surfing is a dynamic sport combining the paddle power of a sit on top kayak with the manoeuvrability and performance of a surfboard. A Waveski resembles a larger surfboard, with the addition of a seat, fins, foot straps, and seat belt, enabling the rider to eskimo roll if overturned. The waveski rider uses a double ended kayak paddle for motion while seated on the waveski.
The World Waveski Surfing Association has been forced to once again postpone its world titles in Peru, because of ongoing restrictions related to Covid-19
Canoe Freestyle
6 Canoe Freestyle
Canoe freestyle is a whitewater discipline and competitions take place on stationary river features. These can be breaking or partially breaking standing waves, holes and stoppers typically formed at the bottom of small drops or weirs where the water flows back on itself, or eddy lines on the boundary of slow moving water at the river edge and faster water. In International Canoe Federation (ICF) events, athletes have a set time to perform as many different moves as possible, scoring additional points for style. Finals are judged on three 45-second runs.
Canoe Slalom
7 Canoe Slalom
Canoe slalom is a timed event where competitors navigate a whitewater course by passing through a combination of upstream and downstream gates. Each course is different but can be a maximum of 300 metres in length and contain a maximum of 25 gates, with a minimum of six upstream gates. The type of gate is designated by colour, red for upstream and green for downstream. Courses are designed so the leading athletes will complete them in a time of between 90 and 110 seconds, though time penalties can be incurred for touching a gate (two seconds) and missing a gate (50 seconds).
Life Jacket PFD
8 Life jacket / PFD
PFD Type 1: Offshore Life Jackets
- have the highest flotation rate
- are meant to accommodate survival for an extended time in open, remote, or rough waters
- will roll the wearer into a face up position, even if they are unconscious
- is not suitable for higher-speed activities such as water skiing, rowing and riding a personal watercraft, because the neckpiece can increase the risk of injury at high-speed
Flotation ratings: in pounds
lb-adult = 22;
lb-child = 11;
lb-infant = 7;
Flotation ratings: in kg
kg-adult = lb-adult * 0.453592;
kg-child = lb-child * 0.453592;
kg-infant = lb-infant * 0.453592;
PFD Type 2: Near Shore Buoyant Vests
- are 'buoyancy vests' not lifejackets
- are used by adults and children in calm waters where the chance of being rescued quickly is good
- provide more freedom of movement than a PFD Type 1, but will not maintain your head above water
- are most suited to higher-speed activities such as water skiing, rowing and riding a personal watercraft
Flotation ratings: in pounds
lb-adult = 15.5;
lb-child = 11;
lb-infant = 7;
Flotation ratings: in kg
kg-adult = lb-adult * 0.453592;
kg-child = lb-child * 0.453592;
kg-infant = lb-infant * 0.453592;
PFD Type 3: Flotation Aids
- are used in calm waters where there is a good chance of a fast rescue
- are less bulky than other vests and are often used by paddle-sports enthusiasts
- are designed for high-speed water sports such as water skiing, kite surfing, aquaplaning, operating personal water craft and sail-boarding
Flotation ratings:
flotation-rating = "Same as for Type 2";
PFDs in SA
9 Life jacket / PFD . . .
PFDs must meet ALL of the bylaws in order for them to be used at CSA sanctioned events
- The PFD must conform to EN ISO 12402-5 (Level 50)
- It must be able to float a weight of 6.15kgs.
- It must carry the appropriate labelling.
- It must be in sound condition.
- It must not be loose fitting
- Shape and design of the jacket must allow freedom to twist and lean the torso.