Canoe slalom is a competitive sport with the aim to navigate a decked canoe or kayak through a course of hanging downstream or upstream gates on river rapids in the fastest time possible. It is one of the two kayak and canoeing disciplines at the Summer Olympics, and is referred to by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as Canoe/Kayak Slalom. The other Olympic canoeing discipline is canoe sprint. Wildwater canoeing is a non-Olympic paddlesport.
The International Canoe Federation (ICF) is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and administers all aspects of canoe sport worldwide. 157 countries are affiliated with the ICF after seven national federations were added at the 2008 ICF Congress in Rome.
The ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships are an international event in canoe racing, one of two Summer Olympic sport events organized by the International Canoe Federation. The World Championships have taken place every non-Olympic year since 1970 and officially included paracanoe events since 2010; since 2012, paracanoe-specific editions of this event have been held in Summer Paralympic years.
The 1954 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Mâcon, France. This event was held under the auspices of the International Canoe Federation.
The 1987 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in Duisburg, West Germany for the second time. The West German city hosted the championships previously in 1979.
The 1961 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Hainsberg, East Germany under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 7th edition. The women's folding K1 team event was not held at these championships after taking place in the previous one.
The 1965 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Spittal an der Drau, Austria under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the second time in a row after hosting the event previously in 1963. It was the 9th edition. It also marked some changes in which the folding kayak events were replaced by standard kayaks for the men's and women's events. Additionally, the mixed C2 team event returned for the first time since 1957.
The 1967 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Lipno nad Vltavou, Czechoslovakia under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 10th edition. The mixed C2 team event was not held after having been done so at the previous championships.
The 1969 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Bourg St.-Maurice, France under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 11th edition. The mixed C2 team event returned for the third and final time after not being held at the previous championships. East Germany, having one medals at every occasion since 1951, didn't take part because of political reasons.
The 1971 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Meran, Italy under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the second time. It was the 12th edition. The mixed C2 team event was discontinued following the 1969 championships. Meran hosted the championships previously in 1953, tying a record set both by Geneva, Switzerland and by Spittal, Austria.
The 1973 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Muotathal, Switzerland under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 13th edition. A record nine nations won medals at the championships.
The 1977 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Spittal, Austria under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the record setting third time. It was the 15th edition. Spittal hosted the championships previously in 1963 and 1965. A record ten countries won medals at these championships, including the first for Australia.
The 1981 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Bala, Wales, Great Britain under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 17th edition. The mixed C2 event was reinstated after not being held at the previous championships.
The 1985 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held between 12 and 16 June 1985 in Augsburg, West Germany under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the second time. Augsburg hosted the event previously in 1957. It was the 19th edition. It also marked the first time the championships took place on an artificial whitewater slalom course at the Eiskanal and the first to be held at an Olympic venue. The Eiskanal previously hosted the slalom canoeing events at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in neighboring Munich.
The 1987 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Bourg St.-Maurice, France under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the second time. It was the 20th edition. Bourg St.-Maurice hosted the event previously in 1969.
The 1995 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Nottingham, United Kingdom under the auspices of International Canoe Federation at the Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre. It was the 24th edition. Nottingham became the first city to host the canoe slalom and canoe sprint world championships, having hosted the sprint championships previously in 1981.
The 1990 ICF World Junior Canoe Slalom Championships were the 3rd edition of the ICF World Junior Canoe Slalom Championships. The event took place in Tavanasa, Switzerland from 13 to 22 July 1990 under the auspices of the International Canoe Federation (ICF).
The 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships was held in Duisburg, Germany, from 17 to 19 May 2016. This event, which is usually part of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, was held separately as the latter is not held in Olympic years. It shared the venue with, and was held concurrently with the 2016 European Canoe Sprint Olympic Qualifier tournament.
The ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships are an international event involving long distance surf ski ocean races. Races are divided into single-paddler (SS1) senior, junior and masters age-group categories. The Championships have been held every two years since debuting in 2013.
The Wildwater Canoeing World Championships are an international event in canoeing organized by the International Canoe Federation. The World Championships have taken place every two years from 1959 to 1995 and then from 1996 to 2001, from 2011 the event is annual.
Vladimír Jirásek (TCH)
Manfred Schubert (GDR)
Switzerland 
Paul Farrant (GBR)