Slalom Course Design Recommendations

There is a basic set of skills and level of fitness that any developing slalom paddler should be working on during practice. Our race courses should be designed to test these skills at the very least.

• At least 18 gates

• The top paddler in the field should be able to negotiate the course in ~90 seconds

• 5-6 upstream gates

• Canoe dominant hand neutral

• S gate (preferably two in order to be canoe dominant hand neutral)

• Tight entry up

• Tight exit up

• Dive gate

• Reverse gate (for most of the field)

• 3 gate offset combination

• Hole move (jump and/or cross)

• Surf move

• Cross

• Balanced mix of strength and technique

• No more than two of any of the above to maintain a balanced course.

• The gate combinations can be softened to suit any level as long as all of the combinations are included in the course.