Kayak cross set to make a splash in canoeing events in Paris

The addition of the thrill of kayak cross races and an increased focus on gender equality will be the main changes the canoeing events at the Paris Games as some well-known names return looking to add to their medal hauls.

In all, athletes will compete in 16 events across the canoe slalom and canoe sprint disciplines, with the 2024 programme spiced up by the addition of head-to-head races in the kayak cross event, which is being featured for the first time.

The desire of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to attract a younger audience is evident in the introduction of sports such as climbing and skateboarding to the Games and kayak cross is intended to do the job for water-based sports.

Replacing the men's and women's K1 200-metre sprint races, the kayak cross event will begin with timed solo runs before introducing a frenetic element of head-to-head competition as four racers face off against each other.

With athletes all vying for position on the course and placings changing rapidly, contact is almost inevitable and races tend to be packed with drama.

"It's the head-to-head element that really gets people on the edge of their seats," Britain's world champion Joe Clarke told Reuters. "You see people have a terrible start, but go from first to fourth in an instant."

Intriguingly, all athletes are also required to complete a "kayak roll" in a specific zone on the course, rotating their entire craft and ducking their heads under water to demonstrate their technical prowess.

Clarke and Australia's Jessica Fox are among the favourites to grab the inaugural gold medals in the event, but the chaotic nature of the four-person races makes them almost impossible to predict.

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