After a very enjoyable Beijing Summer Olympic Games in 2008, the world heads west to London for the 2012 Olympic Games. It’s hard to believe it’s that time again already. While everyone anxiously awaits competitions in track and field, basketball, swimming, and gymnastics, paddlers look forward to another season of Olympic Canoe/Kayak events where over 300 paddlers will compete.
The 2012 London Olympic Canoe Slalom Events
The Olympic Canoe Slalom events will be held from July 29 to August 2. In Olympic Canoe, slalom paddling involves navigating a whitewater course while trying to paddler through hanging gates throughout the timed run. The course is the brand new Lee Valley Whitewater Centre. Located between Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire and Waltham Abbey in Essex, the Lee Valley Whitewater Centre was finished in 2010 and was the first 2012 Olympic Venue to be completed.
The Olympic Canoe Slalom Events to be held at the 2012 Games:
- Men’s C-1
- Men’s C-2
- Men’s K-1
- Women’s K-1
The 2012 London Olympic Canoe Sprint Events
The 2012 Olympic Sprint events will be held from August 6 to August 11 at Eton Dorney. Olympic Canoe Sprint events involve racing other canoes or kayaks down a straigh course. Dorney Lake is the privately owned rowing lake of the Eton College Rowing Centre. It is located near Windsor and Eton. For the first time the women paddlers will have two separate K-1, or individual, events.
Women’s Olympic Canoe Sprint Events:
- K-1 200m
- K-1 500m
- K-2 500m
- K-4 500m
Men’s Olympic Canoe Sprint Events:
- C-1 200m
- C-1 1000m
- C-2 1000m
- K-1 200m
- K-1 1000m
- K-2 200m
- K-2 1000m
- K-4 1000m
