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The classic test of speed and power
In Flatwater Racing sprint events, paddlers race on a straight course, each boat in a separate lane, over three different distances : 200 m, 500 m and 1000 m. In a kayak, the paddler is seated and uses a two-blade paddle, while in a canoe, the paddler is kneeling on one knee, and uses a single blade paddle. There are kayak events, for men and women, in single (K1), double (K2) and four boats (K4), and canoe events for men in single (C1), double (C2) and four boats (C4) and recently also for women.
This form of racing became an Olympic discipline in 1936 and its programme includes events over 200 m and 1000 m for men and 200 m and 500 m for women.
Except of sprint categories canoeists race also in long distances. At World Championships and European Championships these are 5000 m, only single boats are used. Long distances are also very popular for mass competitions, e.g. Sella Descent in Spain.
The season 2019 was supposed to be the most important so far for Norwegian canoe sprinter Amund Vold (he won two medals at the 2019 ECA Junior and U23 European Championships in Račice and gold medal at World Cup in Poznan in men’s K1 5000 metres event as well as two medals at Canoe Marathon World Cup in Baerum) who was expected to start at World Championships in Szeged and fight for the Olympic spots for Tokyo 2020. Instead of this fight he had to undertake a completely different one. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and started tough cancer treatment.
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Norwegian kayaker Eivind Vold received a Pierre de Coubertin international award for fair play for his action after last year's Canoe Sprint World Championships, when he disqualified himself from the final of the men’s 5000 metres event in Montemor-o-Velho.
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After the Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Hungary and the Pre-Olympic test event in Japan, some of the best canoe sprinters travelled to China to take part in the special Super Cup competition which was held in Linyi.
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© 2017 ECA
