Kayak - Types - Racing - Canoe Sprint

Canoe Sprint

The three types of Canoe sprint kayaks (sometimes termed 'sprint boats') are K-1 (single paddler), K-2 (two paddlers) and K-4 (four paddlers). A flat water racing K1's maximum length governed by the ICF is 17 feet (5.2 m). These boats are raced at the Olympic level by men and women over courses of 200, 500 and 1000 meters. Women compete on 1000 meters since 1997. A K-3 kayak has been developed in South Africa, and is especially popular for use in the Fish River Canoe Marathon.
World Championship events:

• distances: 200, 500, 1000
• boat units: men and women K-1, K-2, K-4; men canoe C-1, C-2, C-4 (women's C-1 and C-2 was exhibition-level at the 2009 world sprint championships). All units compete at all distances. Each country can send one unit per event. This became mandatory as of the 1966 championships).

Olympic events (effective for 2012 Summer Olympics):

• distances: 200, 500, 1000
• events: men K-2 200, K-1/K-2/K-4 1000; women K-1 200, K-1/K-2/K-4 500, men canoe C-1 200, C-1/C-2 1000 Each country can send one unit per event.

Flat water racing kayaks are generally made out of extremely lightweight composites such as Kevlar, carbon fiber, or fiberglass, but older sprints are made out of wood. They are not intended for anything other than flat water. They are narrow, extremely unstable, and expensive. A competitive K1 or K2 runs in the US$2,000–4,000 range. They require expertise to paddle well, but are fast in the hands of proficient users. The beam of a flatwater boat is typically barely wider than the hips of its paddlers and require the paddler to bend their legs in the boat, allowing for a long and narrow shape to reduce drag.

Due to their length (a K-1 is 5.2 metres (17 ft) and a K-2 is 6.2 metres (20 ft) long) sprint boats come equipped with a rudder to help with turning. The rudder is controlled by the feet of the paddler (the foremost paddler in multi–person designs). In spite of this, these boats have a fairly large turning radius.

Canoe sprint kayaks are closely related to sprint canoes, with both styles of boat usually at the same club or with the same team.

Downriver white water racers use a combination hull with a fast but unstable lower section similar to a flat water racer's hull, which flares into a wider section higher up, similar to a slalom hull, providing stability in big water.

Paddles used for sprint boats are made out of carbon fiber and/or fiberglass. At the discretion of the paddler, the paddle may be angled to fit with the paddler's stroke. In addition, "wing tip" paddles, with the upper cusp of the paddle angled to form a cup (like cupping one's hand to paddle water) are often used to assist with speed increases and control in turns and drag while maintaining balance.