Freestyle kayaking is a type of whitewater kayaking where paddlers perform tricks and technical moves in one spot on a wave or in a river feature called a hole. Modern freestyle kayaks are designed to be light and agile, allowing paddlers to lift completely out of the water (go airborne) while doing these moves.
Freestyle competitions use two main formats: Jam and Ride.
- In a Jam format, a small group of around six paddlers take turns performing tricks during a timed heat. Everyone shares the water space and tries to score points by completing as many moves as possible before time runs out. The length of the heat depends on how many paddlers are in the group.
- In a Ride format, each paddler gets 45 seconds on their own to perform and score as many different tricks as possible. Each trick can only score once, but you can score both a left and a right version of most moves.
Points in freestyle kayaking are given for specific tricks. These include vertical moves like cartwheels, horizontal moves like spins or barrel rolls, and flips or somersaults called loops. Some moves have fun and unusual names, like Tricky Woo or Phonics Monkey. Extra points are awarded for special features of a move, such as:
- Air (getting the kayak out of the water)
- Huge (getting a lot of air)
- Clean (doing the move without using your paddle)
- Linking (combining two or more tricks smoothly)
Competitions welcome all skill levels, from beginners to advanced paddlers, and usually include different categories for different levels. They’re exciting events for both the paddlers taking part and the people watching.
Find out how to get started in Freestyle here.