Home › Sports › Canoeing › Kayak cross

What is Kayak cross in Canoeing?

Head-to-head whitewater racing in which four paddlers in identical plastic kayaks launch off a ramp together and race through buoyed gates, with contact allowed, a compulsory kayak roll zone, and knockout progression. It made its Olympic debut at Paris 2024.

Example: Kayak cross turns slalom's time trial into a four-boat street fight.

Related terms

Kayak (K boat)Canoe (C boat)GateDownstream gateUpstream gateTouch penalty50-second penaltyKayak roll (Eskimo roll)
Full Canoeing guide