Is Kayaking A Water Sport?

Although kayaks are often used for recreation, they have long been used for sport. Some have used kayaks for sport since the 1800s, it was not until the 1970s that kayaks entered the water sports mainstream.

Is Kayaking A Water Sport?

Kayaking has been a staple of the Olympic Games since 1936 and today, no less than ten kayaking events feature in each Olympics competition. The most popular type of water sport involving kayaking is racing. Kayak races can be held on flat bodies of water, as well as on river rapids and artificial water courses for whitewater events.

Whitewater slalom is another popular type of water sport involving kayaks. In whitewater slalom, participants use a kayak to make their way through a challenging course that features river rapid conditions and other demanding obstacles. Another water sport is surf kayaking. This one is relatively straightforward and involves kayaking on the ocean. A more recent addition to the water sport circuit is playboating. This is a type of whitewater event where individuals remain in a fixed spot (otherwise known as the playspot) in their kayak and perform a selection of moves in order to score points. Kayaking is also a feature of endurance sports events, including the Quadrathlon, alongside running, cycling and swimming disciplines.