EXTREME
SLALOM
THE COMING STORM
Words : Eric Jackson Photos : Eric Jackson , Filip Nagy / Red Bull Content Pool , the International Canoe Federation and CanoePhotography The kayaking world ( if you are the Americas ) or the canoeing world ( if you are from most of the rest of the world ) has had many inflexion points over the years . Downriver racing was one of the first catalysts for growth , then slalom , then plastic boats . From there , freestyle ( rodeo at the time ) created a significant influx of paddlers .
The peak of whitewater kayak sales was around the turn of the century , and a decline in numbers happened , but the sport kept evolving . Creek boating , waterfall running , and now downriver freestyle is becoming popular among the top paddlers . Plenty of other subcultures also created changes in how people paddled , viewed paddling , and what you see in the media . Squirt boating , expedition boating , ‘ extreme racing ’, boater cross racing , instruction is a big influence as well , of course , and what they teach .
There is a new kid in town , or more precisely , a familiar face has found a new home , where it will create massive change in an established sport . Boatercross , or head to head racing , becoming adopted by the ICF as an official sport , and then by the IOC for the Olympics , will have a profound effect on a sport that has remained very much the same for 20-30 years , whitewater slalom .
Mario Leitner – 2021 ICF Canoe Slalom & Wildwater Canoeing World Championships , Slovakia Photo : International Canoe Federation
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