Action-packed and heart-thumping, Kayak Cross makes its Olympic debut in Paris
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Competitors at the U.S. canoe and kayak cross slalom trials in Montgomery, Ala. float through the coarse in April 2024.Rolando Arrieta / NPR -
Races in Kayak Cross describe it as "mayhem", as they bombard down strong currents, knocking other racers out of the way and race in a head-to-head battle while swerving around a series of padded buoys hanging from above.Rolando Arrieta / NPR -
Spectators in Montgomery, Ala. watched the U.S. Canoe and Kayak Cross Olympic trials in April 2024. Racers tore through the course — dipping, rolling and dashing.Rolando Arrieta / NPR
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — In the new Olympic sport of Kayak Cross the rules are quite simple.
Four kayakers position themselves side-by-side on a platform about 15 feet above an artificially-made whitewater slalom course.
They lean right up to the edge of a sloped ramp and when the race official gives the signal to go, they plunge into the rapids.
From there it’s mayhem, as they bombard down strong currents, knocking other kayakers out of the way racing in a head-to-head battle while swerving around a series of padded buoys hanging from above.
Some who see this event for the first time would say it looks like a roller derby bout on rapids.
Then midway through while barreling down the course, racers have to flip their kayak upside down to clear a course-wide obstacle that’s best described as a big Limbo bar a few feet above super fast turbulent water.
Once they’re on the other side of the bar, they have to right themselves back up and dash to the finish line. The top two from each heat advance to the next bracket until a first, second and third place winner is declared.
This adrenaline-packed whitewater event — formerly known as Extreme Slalom — makes its Olympic debut this summer.
Two-time Olympian Evy Leibfarth from Bryson City, N.C. said she can’t wait to launch off that ramp at the Summer Games.
“So exciting to race the new sport in the Olympics,” she said at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Montgomery where she said “it’s been a dream” of hers to go to Paris. “And I’m really stoked to make that a reality,” she said after punching her ticket to the Summer Games competing in Canoe Slalom.
Two weeks later at the second round of team trials, Leibfarth boosted her Olympic dream by becoming the first American athlete to compete in all three whitewater events; Kayak Cross, Kayak slalom and, the first in twenty years, to bring home a medal in Canoe Slalom — winning bronze in that event earlier this week.
For the athletes like Leibfarth, Kayak Cross racing is equal parts fun, kayaking skill, strength and underwater composure.
This was Olivia Spencer’s second Olympic team trials. She described what went through her mind when she capsized upstream of some prefab rocks and concrete, then struggled to roll her kayak back up. ”Just tried to make the best decision and do the best I could in my race but also to safely stay out of the way of other racers as well as do what was the safest for me in the moment,” she said.
While Kayak Cross is new to the Olympics this year, the sport has been around in other world competitions for nearly a decade.
Contact with another kayaker is permitted. Referees along the course may call out fouls for behavior that seems “dangerous and/or clearly unfair,” according to the International Canoe Federation rules. All racers must wear a life jacket, helmet and use a plastic kayak designed for this type of racing.
Some paddle blades are banned, according to Jedediah Hinkley, competition director for the American Canoe Association, the U.S. governing body of Kayak Cross competition.
“Some slalom paddles could have metal edges. You can’t have that in kayak cross,” he said.
Hinkley said racers must tape the edge of their paddle blade to avoid injury from metal or fiberglass splinters. He adds that a helmet that protects the face or gloves to prevent cuts are not required in Kayak Cross.
Hinkley says the introduction to Kayak Cross is part of a broader goal to make whitewater sports more appealing to a wider audience. “It's a new sport that is developing, he said. “It’s exciting. People like carnage. I’ve seen some gashes on the cheek for sure.”
At the Olympic Team Trials in Montgomery’s new whitewater park, hundreds of spectators showed up to watch Kayak Cross racing. Maurice Sterling said he had never seen this type of competition and was awed by the athlete’s agility through the rapids.
“Like when the ladies came through and all four of them where kind of bunched together. I was like, ok, what’s gonna happen? Who’s gonna roll over? Who’s gonna get knocked out? It was great.” he said.
It remains to be seen if Kayak Cross will draw more interest to the niche sport of whitewater slalom.
Sterling said he’s not quite ready to give it a try. “I like sports where I can call a time out, and this doesn’t appear to be one.” he said laughingly.
But he and his wife Tammy said they are adding this event to their Summer Olympics watch list to be, at the very least, entertained.
Transcript
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Kayak cross makes its Olympic debut this weekend. It's an action-packed event where kayakers race in a head-to-head battle through a whitewater obstacle course. NPR's Rolando Arrieta went to a kayak cross event in Montgomery, Ala., and has this postcard.
ROLANDO ARRIETA, BYLINE: Here are the basics of kayak cross.
(SOUNDBITE OF WATER FLOWING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: In position.
ARRIETA: Four kayakers line up side-by-side on a platform about 15 feet above the whitewater slalom course.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Ready.
ARRIETA: They lean right up to the edge of a sloped ramp...
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Go.
(SOUNDBITE OF KAYAKS SPLASHING INTO WATER)
ARRIETA: ...And plunge into the water. From there, it's mayhem. They bombard down strong currents, knocking other kayakers out of the way as they swerve around padded buoys. It looks like a roller derby bout on rapids.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: He's down - and tie (ph) across the first...
ARRIETA: Then they have to flip upside down to clear a course-wide obstacle - imagine a big limbo bar a few feet above super fast, turbulent water - then roll the kayak back up as they dash to the finish line. Top two finishers advance to the next...
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: Go, go, go, go.
ARRIETA: ...Bracket until a first, second and third place winner is declared. Two-time Olympian Evy Leibfarth from Bryson City, N.C., says she can't wait to launch off that ramp at the Summer Games.
EVY LEIBFARTH: So exciting to race the new sport in the Olympics. Oh, my gosh.
ARRIETA: I caught up with Leibfarth at the U.S. Olympic team trials in Montgomery, where she said it's been a dream of hers...
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Ready, go.
ARRIETA: ...To go to Paris.
LEIBFARTH: And I'm really stoked to make that a reality. And overall, it's just been great and emotional and so much fun.
ARRIETA: And at the second round of team trials, two weeks later, Leibfarth bolstered up her Olympic dream by becoming the first American athlete to compete in kayak cross and canoe and kayak slalom.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: You all give them some love here at Montgomery Whitewater. Cheer them on.
ARRIETA: While kayak cross is new to the Olympics, the sport has been around in other world competitions for nearly a decade. Contact with another kayaker is permitted. Referees along the course may call out fouls for behavior that seems dangerous or unfair. A life jacket and helmet are essential. Some paddle blades are banned.
JEDEDIAH HINKLEY: Some slalom paddles could have metal edges. You can't have that in kayak cross.
ARRIETA: Jedediah Hinkley is with the U.S. governing body of kayak cross competition. He says racers must tape the edge of their paddle blade to avoid injury from metals or fiberglass splinters. But a helmet that protects the face or gloves to prevent cuts - those are not required in kayak cross.
JEDEDIAH HINKLEY: It's a new sport that is developing. It's exciting. People like carnage. I mean, I've seen some gashes on the cheek, for sure. Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #5: Up, up, up.
ARRIETA: While kayak cross is exciting for the athletes, it's thrilling for spectators, too. It was Maurice Sterling's first time watching this type of competition.
MAURICE STERLING: Like, when the ladies came through, and all four of them were kind of bunched together. It's like, OK, so what's gonna happen? Who's going to get roll over (laughter)? Who's going to get knocked out?
ARRIETA: It remains to be seen if kayak cross will draw more interest to the niche sport of whitewater slalom. But those who choose to add this event to their Olympic watch list will be, at the very least, entertained.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #6: Oh, quick run through that down.
ARRIETA: Rolando Arrieta, NPR News, Montgomery, Ala.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILLIAM TYLER'S "EVENTUAL SURRENDER")
MARTÍNEZ: Evy Leibfarth won bronze in women's canoe slalom on Wednesday. She's the first U.S. women's slalom medalist in 20 years for canoe or kayak. She'll have another shot for a medal this weekend in kayak cross.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILLIAM TYLER'S "EVENTUAL SURRENDER")
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Race walking?
MARTÍNEZ: If I'd been born in Ecuador, that would've been my sport...
FADEL: It could have been you.
MARTÍNEZ: ...Walking around.
FADEL: Did you know in 1904, there was a thing where you just jumped in a pool and then drifted as far as you could go, and then whenever you surfaced, if you were furthest, you won? I feel like I could win that.
MARTÍNEZ: Me too. We could have done the team event.
FADEL: That could have been our sport.
MARTÍNEZ: Both of us (laughter). Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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