For many recreational boaters, the canoe is the symbol of a lazy afternoon on a
quiet lake. But canoes and kayaks are
streamlined racing boats for some of the most exciting events in the Olympic
Games.
Sprint canoes and kayaks originated with various native Americans, but it wasn't until 1856 that they were first used for organized racing. There are two disciplines within the sport, Canoe/Kayak-Slalom and Canoe/Kayak-Sprint.
Canoe/Kayak-Slalom will be held for the third time in 1996; its previous appearances were in 1976 and 1992. Canoe/Kayak-Sprint was added to the Olympic programme in 1936 at Berlin, and women first competed in 1948.
In 1996, nearly 500 competitors will compete for 16 gold medals in these
demanding events. Canoe/Kayak-Slalom will take
place on the Ocoee River in Tennessee and
Canoe/Kayak-Sprint will be
held at Lake Lanier near Gainesville, Georgia.
| More tickets were sold to the competitions of the 1996 Games than to any other Olympic Games or sports event in history. The 8.6 million ticket sales figures topped sales to the Los Angeles and Barcelona Games combined. |