The canoe slalom paddlers are back in Deodoro after the beautifully choreographed opening ceremony. Here is a preview of what to expect tomorrow for the first day of canoe slalom starting at the fabulous world class Deodoro whitewater centre.

Athletes have spent much time familiarizing themselves with this stunning venue since the Olympic test event last November. It is now ready to host canoe slalom at the Olympics for the 8th time. We are guaranteed new Olympic Champions in each class. 

“Once again just getting to the Games is a story in itself in many...Read more

RIO DE JANEIRO - David FLORENCE (GBR) hopes to become the first British winner of the canoe single (C1) men's event, when the competition begins on Sunday, 7 August at Whitewater Stadium.

• Current world champion FLORENCE will try to become the first athlete from Great Britain to win the canoe single (C1) men's event at the Olympic Games.
• FLORENCE already claimed silver in this event at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Only three athletes claimed multiple Olympic medals in men's C1: Michal MARTIKAN (SVK, G2-S2-B1), Tony ESTANGUET (FRA, G3) and
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RIO DE JANEIRO - Jiri PRSKAVEC (CZE) will aim to give Czech Republic its first gold medal in a men's canoe slalom event, as he participates in the kayak (K1) men's competition which starts on 7 August at Whitewater Stadium.

• Jiri PRSKAVEC (CZE) is the current world and European champion and he can give Czech Republic its first gold medal in the men's K1.
• Vavrinec HRADILEK (CZE) claimed Czech Republic's only medal so far in this event as he grabbed silver at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
• The only athlete representing Czech Republic
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The atmosphere of canoe slalom comes alive through excellent live race commentary. Here we explore how the commentary makes such an incredible difference to the excitement and feeling at these competitions.

Deodoro live canoe slalom commentary team 

Your live race commentators for Rio 2016 in Deodoro are Andy Maddock, Tatau Santos and Pedro Oliva. Maddock and Santos worked together on both the Canoe Sprint and Canoe Slalom test events in 2015.

Maddock comes with experience as a paddler, coach and team manager, having...Read more

Canoe slalom has an incredible appeal through the lens of a camera as well as making stunning TV coverage. There is a personal story behind every picture. We have explained the stories in the captions in this post.

I admire the photographs over the years of a small group of slalom enthusiasts; Tony Tickle, Antony Edmonds, Ettore Ivaldi, Chris Worrall, Pete Astles and ICF photographer Balint Vekassy. I was in awe of the stunning images taken by Tony Tickle in the morning mist of the Savage River at the ’89 World Championships.

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RIO DE JANEIRO - Jessica FOX (AUS) and Lucien DELFOUR will lead an Australian challenge to the established European order when the Rio 2016 Olympic Games canoe slalom competition begins at Whitewater Stadium on Sunday 7 August.

With several of the sport's celebrated names having either retired after London 2012 or failed to qualify for Rio 2016, there could be a shift in the balance of power in a sport which has been dominated by Slovakia, France and Germany since it re-entered the Olympic programme in 1992.

FOX, who won K1 silver in London...Read more

RIO DE JANEIRO - David FLORENCE (GBR) will attempt to become the first athlete to win two gold medals in canoe slalom at a single Olympic Games when the competition begins on Sunday 7 August at Whitewater Stadium.

• FLORENCE will participate in both the canoe single (C1) men and and canoe double (C2) men and will try to become the first athlete to claim a medal in multiple events at a single Olympic Games.
• FLORENCE has already won silver in both events, but at different Olympic Games - C1 at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and C2 in London 2012.
• France
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All Olympic canoe/kayak slalom training sessions at Whitewater Stadium have been cancelled on Thursday afternoon due to "technical issues on the course," organizers announced.

"It was an issue with the pumps on the course," Miguel Gomes, media officer at Whitewater Stadium, said to NBC Olympics. "It should be fixed today."

Gomes was unsure if the fix would take 15 minutes or a couple of hours – but expects slalom training to resume on Friday.

Gomes does not expect competition schedules to be affected.

Rio 2016 Organizing Committee later released...Read more

All Olympic canoe slalom training sessions at Whitewater Stadium have been cancelled on Thursday afternoon due to "technical issues on the course," organisers announced.

"It was an issue with the pumps on the course," said Miguel Gomes, media officer at Whitewater Stadium.

"It should be fixed today."

Gomes was unsure if the fix would take 15 minutes or a couple of hours – but expects slalom training to resume on Friday.

Gomes does not expect competition schedules to be affected.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee later...Read more