They raced down a 45-degree ramp and three meters into the tumultuous waters below, facing the elements and engaging in Gladiators-style confrontations with their opponents. Amidst the chaotic foam, Team GB fell short of a gold medal, with Joe Clarke and Kimberley Woods claiming silver and bronze respectively. However, kayak cross has undoubtedly made a memorable debut at the Olympics.
“We’re just getting started here, aren’t we?” remarked Clarke, the favorite for the men’s final, who trailed New Zealand’s Finn Butcher during that intense minute of battle. The 2016 slalom gold medalist, who finished fifth in that event last week, expressed few regrets. Following the medal ceremony, he joyfully lifted his young son, Hugo, and shared his aspiration for kayaking to gain broader recognition.
From the enthusiastic reception here, it’s clear that kayak cross has a bright future. While Disneyland Paris is just 20 minutes away, this event is no lighthearted affair: four paddlers compete to navigate eight buoys along the course, performing an eskimo roll between the first and second buoys for added flair, while interactions between competitors’ paddles and boats are crucial. It resembles a chaotic 100m athletics final, should athletes be allowed to shoulder-check one another.
This dynamic was instrumental in Woods securing her third-place finish—her second medal at these Games—which, while slightly below expectations, was embraced with grace. She found herself entangled at the second buoy with local competitor, Angèle Hug, who ultimately finished second to Australia’s Noemie Fox. As the race progressed, Woods aimed for silver but made a daring move to displace Fox, which backfired, leaving her in last place until a penalty against Germany’s Elena Lilik propelled her onto the podium. It was a thrilling, jaw-dropping experience.
“I thought: ‘I’m in the Olympic final guys, I’m going to go for gold,’” Woods recounted. “It was a really brave moment, but it didn’t pay off.”
Regardless of the result, such fearless tactics have been phased out of many elite sports. The introduction of kayak cross aimed to attract the TikTok generation, and its exhilarating, rapid bursts of action appear to accomplish that.
The mental and tactical aspects are crucial as competitors analyze their positions before plunging into the water. “We observed all the rounds of the other competitors, discussing: ‘Who’s going straight? Who’s veering right? Who’s drifting left?’ to strategize our positioning on the ramp to adapt accordingly,” Clarke explained.
Clarke experienced a side bump from neighbor Noah Hegge, which disrupted his plan, allowing Butcher to secure a decisive early advantage.
Excitement is high as the sport looks forward to Los Angeles, although there are some initial challenges. Another British competitor, Mallory Franklin, was eliminated in the quarter-finals after being penalized for failing to complete a roll. This 360-degree underwater maneuver requires the athlete to pass beneath a raised bar and must be executed fully within a designated zone.
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“I must have rolled too late since I was penalized for it,” she said. “It’s one of those things where this discipline is quite new, and the rules are still being refined. There were discussions during the heats about what constitutes a roll. It’s a bit disappointing. While it’s a fantastic discipline, perhaps its introduction was a tad premature.”
Franklin, a staunch slalom specialist, isn’t looking for excuses and acknowledges she lacks the aggressive personality traits of Clarke and Woods. Here, technical expertise meets raw, tumultuous action: it is uncompromising, but as its profile rises, some additional regulations may be necessary.
The aspiration is for Great Britain to leverage its recent successes in cultivating elite-level competitors, thanks in part to the national lottery-funded ramp completed at the Lee Valley white water center last year, to thrive in four years’ time. The trailblazers of 2024 have, despite not clinching gold, carved a brilliantly adventurous path.
“The slalom was a spectacular event. I know it resonated greatly back home,” said Clarke, reaffirming his intention to return for another Olympics. “And this is poised to be even bigger.”
