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PARACANOE

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What is PARACANOE?

A discipline for athletes with an impairment, Paracanoe is contested at the Paralympic Games in the kayak (K), propelled by a double-blade paddle and Va’a (V), an outrigger canoe which has an ama (second pontoon) as a support float, propelled with a single-blade paddle. Both craft have three different classes, depending on the classification of the athlete.
Paracanoe featured as an exhibition under the name Paddleability at the 2009 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Dartmouth, Canada, before receiving official status and the Paracanoe name at the following year’s event in Poznan, Poland. Later in 2010, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced that Paracanoe would debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

Things to know

Va’a, meaning ‘small boat’ in Polynesian, is a craft traditionally used in Tahiti and other islands throughout Oceania. It was created for travel between islands.

At an international level, all Paracanoe races are individual events at a distance of 200m.

Paddle Australia’s system of classification aims to place athletes into classes according to how their impairment impacts on the core determinants of success in canoeing. More information about the Paddle Australia system of classification can be found here.

PARALYMPIC HISTORY

Paracanoe debuted in the kayak at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, with the introduction of the Va’a at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. In Paris, the total number of races will reach a new high of ten.

Curtis McGrath became the first Paralympic champion in Paracanoe, taking out the men’s KL2 at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. At the 2020 Tokyo games, he took out the men’s KL2 and VL3, becoming the first Paracanoe athlete to win double gold at a single Paralympics.

Things to know

Va’a, meaning ‘small boat’ in Polynesian, is a craft traditionally used in Tahiti and other islands throughout Oceania. It was created for travel between islands.

At an international level, all Paracanoe races are individual events at a distance of 200m.

Paddle Australia’s system of classification aims to place athletes into classes according to how their impairment impacts on the core determinants of success in canoeing. More information about the Paddle Australia system of classification can be found here.

Paralympic History

Paracanoe debuted in the kayak at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, with the introduction of the Va’a at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. In Paris, the total number of races will reach a new high of ten.

Curtis McGrath became the first Paralympic champion in Paracanoe, taking out the men’s KL2 at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. At the 2021 Tokyo games, he took out the men’s KL2 and VL3, becoming the first Paracanoe athlete to win double gold at a single Paralympics.

Key Milestones

2009
Paddleability featured with exhibition status at the 2009 Canoe Sprint World Championships
2010
Official status was granted to Paracanoe at the 2010 World Championships
2016
Paracanoe made its Paralympic debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games
2020
Va'a was added to the Paracanoe program at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games
2024
The introduction of women's VL3 will result in an equal number of male and female events for the first time
2009
Paddleability featured with exhibition status at the 2009 Canoe Sprint World Championship
2010
Official status was granted to Paracanoe at the 2010 World Championships
2024
The introduction of women's VL3 will result in an equal number of male and female events for the first time
2020
Va'a was added to the Paracanoe program at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games
2016
Paracanoe made it's Paralympic debut at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games

PARAlympic MEDALLISTS

Name
Year
Event
S. Seipel
2016
KL2 W 200m
S. Seipel
2024
VL2 W 200m
Name
Year
Event
A. Reynolds
2016
KL3 W 200m
S. Seipel
2020
VL2 W 200m
D. Littlehales
2024
KL3 M 200m
Name
Year
Event
C. McGrath
2016
KL2 M 200m
C. McGrath
2020
KL2 M 200m
C. McGrath
2020
VL3 Men 200m
C. McGrath
2024
KL2 M 200m
Name
Year
Event
C. McGrath
2016
KL2 M 200m
C. McGrath
2020
KL2 M 200m
C. McGrath
2020
VL3 M 200m
C. McGrath
2024
KL2 M 200m
Name
Year
Event
A. Reynolds
2016
KL3 W 200m
S. Seipel
2020
VL2 W 200m
D. Littlehales
2024
KL3 M 200m
Name
Year
Event
S. Seipel
2016
KL2 W 200m
S. Seipel
2024
VL2 W 200m
All olympians
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This site was made with Positive Pixels by Digital Native.
Main image provided by Getty Images (Adam Pretty, 2021).
Additional images by Bence Vekassy/Canoe Photography and Paralympics Australia.
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