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Sprint

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.

DOCUMENTS can be found here.

ECA Competitions

2025 ECA Junior and U23 Canoe ...
July 3. - 6. 2025, Bascov-Pitesti, ROU
2025 Olympic Hopes - Canoe Sprint
September 18. - 21. 2025, Racice, CZE
2026 ECA Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe ...
January 1. 2026, Montemor-o-Velho
2026 ECA Junior and U23 Canoe ...
July 23. - 26. 2026, Szeged, HUN
2026 Olympic Hopes - Sprint
September 10. - 13. 2026, Bratislava, SVK
All competitions

NEWS

ECA Athletes Committee welcomes new members

At the 2025 ECA Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe European Championships in Račice, athletes took an important step beyond competition by voting for their representatives on the newly established ECA Athletes' Committee. Following the earlier selection of canoe slalom athletes Monica Doria (AND) and Michal Martikan (SVK) in Paris, sprint and paracanoe athletes have now chosen their own voices within the European Canoe Association.

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New Video Judging Service Enhances Race Analysis at Racice Europeans

During the 2025 ECA Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe European Championships, the ECA's official Timing and Scoring provider Memosoft introduced several novelties.

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