Kayaking

What is freestyle kayaking?

In freestyle kayaking, the competitor rides a short kayak into rushing water and performs tricks.

What is a kayaker?

The person who rides the kayak is called a “kayaker.”

How to freestyle kayak

The kayaker rides up into fast moving water or rapids and performs tricks.

How to win

The kayaker is judged on completing successful tricks; the more difficult the tricks, the more points the kayaker earns. The kayaker with the most points wins.

Equipment

Helmet – protects the head
Lifejacket – protects the kayaker
Rubber water shoes
Brace – holds the rider inside the kayak
Padel – used to push the kayak into the water, to steer the kayak, and to perform tricks
Spray skirt – a kind of apron in front of the rider sitting in the kayak, to keep water out
Kayak – the boat the rider uses. In freestyle kayaking, a shorter boat is used because it’s easier to perform tricks with a short kayak

Kayaking tricks

360 – the rider spins the kayak around in a complete circle two times
Roll – the rider tips the kayak to the left and goes under the water, popping back out of the water to the right
Loop – similar to the Roll, but the kayaker moves the boat in another direction
Cartwheel – as in the gymnastics move of the same name, the rider puts the front end of the kayak down and spins the back end around
Blunt – the rider puts the back end down, the front end lifts out of the water, and the rider spins around in a complete circle