Whitewater kayaking

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Whitewater kayaking is an adventure sport where a river is navigated in a decked kayak. Whitewater kayaking includes several styles. River running; where the paddler follows a river and paddles rapids as they travel. Creeking usually involving smaller, steeper, and more technical waterways. Creek boats tend to be short but high volume to allow for manoeuvrability while maintaining buoyancy. Slalom requires paddlers to navigate through "gates" (coloured poles hanging above the river). Slalom was originally the only whitewater event to be in the Olympics but Kayak Cross - a new subcategory of slalom involving gates and more natural whitewater elements - featured in the 2024 Paris Olympics.^[1] Play boating involves staying on one feature of the river and is more artistic than the others. Squirt boating uses low-volume boats (usually made specifically for the paddler) to perform special moves in whitewater features.^[2][3]