VAIRES-SUR-MARNE, France (AP) — This is not what kayak fans are used to seeing at the Olympics.
Competitors’ boats drop into the water from a 15-foot-high platform as three other paddlers work furiously to gain traction.
Then, in bumper-car-like fashion, those athletes can ram the other kayaks at any time as they work their way around gates in different directions similar to downhill skiing. And before they reach the end, these Olympians have to go completely underwater to execute a 360-degree Eskimo roll.
This new event is Kayak Cross, with elements that sound like a local amusement park ride. Competitors can’t really plan for what’s going to happen.
“That is what I love about the sport,” New Zealand women’s kayaker Luuka Jones said. “You are in these different situations on white water and have to react in the moment and trust your instincts. That is the biggest strategy, trusting your instincts.”
The finals for the men and women will be Monday.
Launching off the platform is the biggest thrill for Italian men’s kayaker Giovanni De Gennaro, this year’s gold medalist in kayak singles on Thursday.
“The best part is probably the ramp,” he said. “We usually need to get our speed with our arms and our strength, but with the ramp you can use gravity to get the boost. You feel like you’re sprinting immediately when you land.”
New Zealand men’s kayaker Finn Butcher said speed is still the goal, even amid the chaos. But that everyone also has to be smart. Competitors can be disqualified for going on the wrong side of the gates. And though they can make contact with other boats, they can’t hit the other competitors.
“It’s a lot of adaptation in the run,” he said. “For me, the best form of defense is to get out in front and be by yourself, so that’s the main goal. If you end up in the melee, you need to adapt to the situation.”
Australia’s Noemie Fox said nothing that happens on the course is to be taken personally.
“If you get ganged up on or if things don’t go your way,” she said, “that’s just the sport.”
Britain’s Joseph Clarke, a world champion in 2023, is ranked No. 1 in the world by the International Canoe Federation and had the fastest qualifying time on Friday. He said kayak cross should draw interest.
“I really see this as a gateway to the sport,” he said. “It’s not quite as technical as the slalom, and I think it’s going to be a really big hit on the TV.”
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