U.S. Olympic Canoe/Kayak Team

There are two types of canoe and kayak racing in the Olympics: flatwater sprint and whitewater slalom. As the name implies, flatwater sprints involve paddlers racing in separate lanes on a straight course in calm water. The Olympics have 500m and 1,000m races, and both men and women compete in kayak events in single, double and four-member combinations. Canoe events are only for men and can be single or double. The flatwater races became a medal sport in 1936. 

In whitewater slalom, the paddlers must navigate their canoe or kayak through gates as they fight rapids. The men compete in kayak, single canoe and double canoe. Women compete in kayak only, although they will compete in all three whitewater divisions inthe 2012 Olympics.

Members of the U.S. canoe and kayak team are:

Carrie Johnson, San Diego

Rami Zur, Chula Vista, Calif.

Benn Fraker, Charlotte, N.C.

Casey Eichfeld, Drums, Penn.

Heather Corrie, Loughborough, UK and Charlotte, N.C.

Rick Powell, Parkesburg, Penn.

Scott Parsons, Bethesda, Md.

To learn more about America’s canoe/kayak Olympic competitors, see their official Team USA Web site.