What is Slalom

Kayaking is an exciting watersport which is great fun at all levels and takes us to some of the most beautiful and tranquil rivers and bush settings in Victoria. You can start at a local water course and end up representing Australia overseas including events like the Olympics.

Kayaking is a social sport with children of all school year levels practising together and looking after each other under close supervision from teachers and qualified instructors.

Canoe Slalom is an exciting whitewater paddling discipline that combines the best in paddling technique, skill, fitness and power. The sport consists of up to 25 designated upstream or downstream gates (vertical poles approximately on metre apart) suspended over a course of whitewater rapids along a length of 200 - 300 metres. The paddler must negotiate the gates in numerical order, the correct direction, in the shortest possible time and with the least number of penalties. Canoe Slalom can present challenges and deliver achievable outcomes at all levels from beginners to Elite. It is an Olympic sport and is well supported by the Victorian Institute of Sport.

The Slalom Committee organizes races during the year which are pitched at an entry level to the sport and graduate through to experienced and challenging whitewater as the year progresses.

There is an annual Yarra Series which run concurrently with a Country Series. These series culminate in the Canoes Plus Slalom and the Victorian State Slalom Championships both of which are held on the Goulburn River,  at Eildon in December.

Visit the Slalom web site for more details, contacts, entry forms and race details.

Different Craft

What does K1, K2, C1 etc mean ?

K1 are one person kayaks.  C1 and C2 are one and two person canoes which look similar to kayaks but in which the person kneels and uses at single bladed paddle.

Slalom kayaking is an exciting high energy race over several minutes through gates (pairs of poles suspended over the water) in whitewater rapids Downriver.  But kayaking is not just about racing - activities also develop advanced water safety skills and teamwork.

Membership of Club & Canoeing Association

For details see lower section of Events in Victoria.