THE 16 EVENTS:


Men:

Straight racing: Canoe (3 events): C1 200m, C1 1000m, C2 1000m - Kayak (5 events): K1 200m, K2 200m, K1 1000m, K2 1000m, K4 1000m
Slalom: (3 events) Canoe (2): C1, C2 - Kayak (1) : K1

Women:

Straight racing: Kayak (4 events): K1 200m, K1 500m, K2 500m, K4 500m
Slalom: Kayak (1 event): K1

FORMAT:

Straight racing: Qualifying, semi-finals and final (8 boats).

Slalom: Qualifying over two runs (best of two times counted), then semi-finals and final (of ten) over 1 run.


MILESTONES:

1866:Creation of the first canoe club in London.

1924:Features as a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games in Paris.

1936:The canoe-kayak is officially included in the Olympic programme in Berlin (straight racing event).

1972:The slalom event appears in the Munich Games, but does not make another appearance until 20 years later in Barcelona (1992).

1976:The Olympic programme is given a radical overhaul. As of Montreal, for straight racing, four new events are introduced: K1 and K2 500m, C1 and C2 500m.


STARS:

Gert Fredriksson (Sweden):The best. Six gold medals in straight racing between 1948 and 1960, incluing a hat-trick in the K1 1000m (1948, 1952, 1956). Also won 7 world titles in K1.

Knut Holmann (Norway):Golden double in Sydney. Three Olympic gold medals in straight racing, including a double K1 500m - K1 1000m at Sydney 2000. 4 world titles in K1 1000m (1990, 1991, 1993, 1995).

Birgit Fischer (Germany):The most decorated. Eight Olympic gold medals in 24 years between 1980 and 2004, in K1, K2 and K4. Also won 29 world titles in K1, K2 and K4.