Para Canoe
| Governing Body: | International Canoe Federation (ICF) |
Para-canoe is a flat water sporting discipline for the paddlers with impairment. The sport made its debut in 2016 at the Rio Olympics. It is same as that of the able-bodied discipline but has been specially made keeping in mind the requirements of para-athletes. Para-canoe is contested on two types of boats: kayak (K) and va’a (V), where the kayak is propelled by two bladed paddles and the latter is propelled with a single bladed paddle.
Va’a is an outrigger canoe which has an ama (second pontoon) which acts as a support float for the boat. It is a young sport which has recently come into the limelight as the ICF along with the IVF (International Va Federation) came upon with the idea of encouraging the para talents in this sport as well and included the same with the able-bodied competitions.
To complete the given distance within the minimum possible time than the other paddlers.
General History
The first Para canoe racing event occurred as a significant piece of the 2009 Canoe Sprint World Championships, while the initial World Championships for Para canoe racing alone were held a year later.
The race was highlighted with just an exhibition status while utilising the name paddleability at the 2009 Canoe Sprint World Championships held at Dartmouth, NS, Canada, and was given official status as Para canoe at the next year's edition in Poznan, Poland. Later in 2010, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) reported at a meeting in Guangzhou, the People's Republic of China, that Para canoe would make its introduction at the Paralympic Games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
