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.
Canoeing at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre for the sprint events and the Whitewater Stadium in Penrith for the canoe and kayak slalom disciplines. The repechage rounds that ran from the 1960 to the 1996 Games were eliminated in the sprint events while qualifying rounds were added to the slalom events. Additionally, a quota system for each event was enacted, meaning each event had a limited number of competitors that could compete.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, seven events in sprint canoe racing were contested, and for the first time at the Olympic Games, four events in slalom canoeing were also contested, at the Augsburg Eiskanal.
Takuya Haneda is a Japanese male slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2002. He won a bronze medal in the C1 event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first Asian canoeist to win an Olympic medal.
Peter Kauzer is a Slovenian slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 1999.
The ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships are an international event in canoeing organized by the International Canoe Federation. The World Championships have taken place every year in non-Summer Olympic years since 2002. From 1949 to 1999, they had taken place in odd-numbered years. The 2001 championships were scheduled to take place in Ducktown, Tennessee from 20 to 23 September, but were canceled in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The 2010 Canoe Slalom World Cup was a series of five races in 5 canoeing and kayaking categories organized by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). It was the 23rd edition and it marked the first time that women competed for the single canoe world cup points and title. The series consisted of 2 continental championships which were open to all countries and 3 world cup races. The athletes gained points for their results in the three world cup races plus their best result from any of the two continental championships.
The 2006 Canoe Slalom World Cup was a series of eight races in 4 canoeing and kayaking categories organized by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). It was the 19th edition. The series consisted of 4 continental championships, 3 world cup races and the world championships.
The 2005 Canoe Slalom World Cup was a series of eight races in 4 canoeing and kayaking categories organized by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). It was the 18th edition. The series consisted of 4 continental championships, 3 world cup races and the world championships.
The 2010 Asian Canoe Slalom Championships were the 6th Asian Canoe Slalom Championships and took place from May 1–3, 2010 in Xiasi, China.
Hermann Ludwig Husslein is a Thai slalom canoeist who competes in the K-1 event. He won a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games, placing fourth in 2010 and 2014. At the 2012 Olympics he finished 19th in the heats and failed to qualify for the semifinals.
Canoeing at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo was contested in two main disciplines: canoe slalom, to take place from 25 to 30 July 2021, and canoe sprint, from 2 to 7 August. The slalom competitions will be held at the Kasai Canoe Slalom Course; whereas the sprint events will be staged at Sea Forest Waterway.
Canoeing at the 2014 Asian Games was held in Hanam Misari Canoe/Kayak Center, Hanam, South Korea from September 27 to October 2, 2014. There were sprints and a slalom on flat water and not an artificial canoe slalom course.
The men's K-1 slalom canoeing competition at the 2014 Asian Games in Hanam was held from 1 to 2 October at the Misari Canoe/Kayak Center. The slalom event was on flat water and not an artificial canoe slalom course. The K-1 event is raced by one-man kayaks. Each NOC could enter two athletes but only one of them could advance to the semifinal.
The men's C-1 slalom canoeing competition at the 2014 Asian Games in Hanam was held from 1 to 2 October at the Misari Canoe/Kayak Center. The slalom event was on flat water and not an artificial canoe slalom course. The C-1 event is raced by one-man canoes. Each NOC could enter two athletes but only one of them could advance to the semifinal.
The women's K-1 slalom canoeing competition at the 2014 Asian Games in Hanam was held from 1 to 2 October at the Misari Canoe/Kayak Center. The slalom event was on flat water and not an artificial canoe slalom course. Each NOC could enter two athletes but only one of them could advance to the semifinal.
The canoeing races at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang were contested in three main disciplines: the slalom from 21 to 23 August, and the sprint from 29 August to 1 September. The slalom canoe competition was held at the Bendung Rentang in Majalengka Regency, West Java; whereas the sprint events were staged in Jakabaring Lake at the Jakabaring Sport City, Palembang. Additionally, the games also contested the canoe polo discipline as demonstration sport. Also in part of canoeing event was the dragon boat event.
The men's K-1 slalom canoeing event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 28 and 30 July 2021 at the Kasai Canoe Slalom Course. 24 canoeists from 24 nations competed. Jiří Prskavec from the Czech Republic won the event, Jakub Grigar from Slovakia was second, and Hannes Aigner from Germany third. Prskavec and Aigner were bronze medalists in this event at the 2016 and 2012 Olympics, respectively; for Grigar, this is the first Olympic medal.
The women's K-1 slalom canoeing event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 25 and 27 July 2021 at the Kasai Canoe Slalom Course. 27 canoeists from 27 nations competed.
Canoeing at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are scheduled to run across two main disciplines: canoe slalom, to take place from 27 July to 5 August, and canoe sprint, from 6 to 10 August. Both canoe slalom and sprint events will be staged at the National Olympic Nautical Stadium of Île-de-France in Vaires-sur-Marne.
