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Freestyle kayaking is a new extreme sport. It involves riding a kayak into fast moving water or rapids and performing tricks. Success is based on completing the hardest tricks possible instead of racing a kayak to the finish line.

Many freestyle kayakers practice in flat water as it helps to develop edge control and orientation. To be successful, you have to be quick and aware of your edges. Obviously, this is easier to practice in flat water than rapids.

Freestyle kayaking uses equipment that is similar to regular kayaking with a few modifications. The kayaker wears a helmet, lifejacket and rubber water shoes. The kayak used in freestyle is actually shorter than a regular kayak and also includes a spray skirt, a type of apron in front of the rider to keep the water out. The brace helps keep the kayaker in the boat when the water gets rocky. And like regular kayaking, the kayaker needs a paddle to help steer and perform tricks.

There are four basic moves in freestyle kayaking: the 360, the roll, the cartwheel, and the blunt. The 360 involves the kayaker spinning the kayak around in a complete circle two times. A roll is when the kayaker tips the kayak to the left, goes under water, and comes back out of the water on the right. The third move, the cartwheel, is when the rider puts the front end of the kayak down in the water and spins the back end around. The final move, a blunt is when the kayaker puts the back end down, lifts the front end of the kayak out of the water and spins around in a complete circle.

Like most extreme sports, freestyle kayaking has competitions. The format for the competitions is much like extreme skateboarding with each competitor getting a 45-second ride, in which they can perform as many tricks as they want. They are scored by a panel of judges and the kayaker with the highest score wins. Points are earned for successfully completing a trick, and like most sports the harder the trick, the more points that can be earned.

Learn more about this author, Tracie Parker.
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