Blog Posts: #ICFslalom
Rio Olympic canoe slalom day 1 preview
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
The incredible atmosphere from live race commentary
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
FOX (AUS) ready to pounce as canoe slalom enters new era
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
Canoe Slalom from behind the lens
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.
...Read more
Estanguet Elected as Vice-Chair for IOC Athletes Commission
Tony Estanguet (FRA) has been elected as the Vice-Chair of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes Commission following a joint meeting between the IOC Executive Board and Athletes Commission on the 1st August.
Estanguet, who is a three-time Canoe Slalom Olympic Champion, has had a meteoric rise in the world of sport administration after bowing out of competition with gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The 38-year-old was elected as an IOC Athletes Commission member in 2013 and currently sits on two other commissions
Flash Quotes: OLIVEIRA (BRA), CORREA (BRA)
RIO DE JANEIRO - Comments from men's C2 paddlers Anderson OLIVEIRA (BRA) and Charles CORREA (BRA) after training at the Whitewater Stadium in Deodoro X-Park on Thursday.
Anderson OLIVEIRA (BRA)
On representing Brazil in his home Olympic Games:
"It is almost unexplainable. It is a very unique feeling to be able to represent my own country in my first Olympics here in Rio de Janeiro.
"I am really excited about the legacy that this event can bring to the community, not only with the course but the fact there is going to be...Read more
Canoe slalom support from the bank - the coach
Today’s posts look both at the important role of the coach and behind the scenes of how the event is judged.
The coach plays a pivotal role in supporting the athlete towards that Ultimate Run. This is not a short-term partnership as the coach and athlete will have spent years working together to hone their performance.
The coach is one member of the athletes' support team that extends to sports psychologists, physiotherapists, dieticians, personal trainers and managers.
Each of the major nation’s competing at Deodoro starting on...Read more
Flash Quotes: Bryden NICHOLAS (COK), Ella NICHOLAS (COK)
RIO DE JANEIRO - Comments from K1 paddlers Bryden NICHOLAS (COK) and Ella NICHOLAS (COK) after training at the Whitewater Stadium in Deodoro X-Park on Wednesday.
Bryden NICHOLAS (COK)
On representing his home country:
"We are very proud of our country. It's a beautiful country. You could ask any Cook Islander where's the best place on earth and they will all say the Cook Islands.
"For the Cook Island people back home, I think it means a lot to have us representing them."
On their profession:
"We are...Read more
The all seeing eye of the judge
Today we continue the theme of looking at the different roles of those that make Olympic canoe slalom a success. Here we focus on the role of the Judge and explain in more depth the rules of canoe slalom.
To win a medal the paddler needs to be fast and likely clean, meaning no penalties. As the run times have continued to get shorter the possibility to win or medal with a 2-second penalty is unusual. The Canadian Men's Doubles, C2M, presents a unique challenge for the Judges. Both paddlers must negotiate the gate without either paddler touching the poles. It is...Read more
Olympic Canoe Slalom Training Cancelled
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
