Whitewater Racing is an exciting and challenging discipline, combining the speed of flatwater racing with the technical aspects of slalom racing. Competitors start at the top of a section of rapids and, either as an individual, or in a team of three, paddle as quickly as they can to the end of the rapids. Whilst it sounds simple, the reality is somewhat different. The fastest paddlers will have high levels of endurance, the experience to identify the fastest line down a rapid and the boat handling skills to maneouvre their kayak down this line with minimal loss of speed. Whitewater racing kayaks are designed primarily with forward speed in mind. In comparison to standard kayak designs they can be difficult to maneouvre, fragile and feel relatively unstable. This adds to the challenge of the discipline and requires paddlers to memorise racing lines down a rapid, always thinking one step ahead of the river.

Within the UK, the sport of Whitewater Racing is administered and regulated by the British Canoe Union. One of the best sources of specific information is the Great Britain Wild Water Racing Website. This provides full details of forthcoming events, rules, race results and general advice for beginners. Alternatively you could try your local canoe club, search the go-paddle club database to find your nearest club.

A whitewater race can be a classic race or a sprint race. A classic race is typically 3 to 6km long, taking approximately 10 to 20 minutes to complete. The course will generally consist of whitewater and flatwater sections. Paddlers have only one run down the river with the winner being the paddler with the fastest time. Unlike canoe slalom races, there are no gates to negotiate or penalty points to be added to the time. A sprint race is usually less than 500m in length with rapids along the entire length of the course. Paddlers take two runs down the course with both times being combined into a single aggregate time.

Events are organised by individual canoe clubs at a variety of locations across the UK. Division B races are open to all paddlers and generally take place on rivers with sections of flatwater and rapids up to grade 3 in difficulty. Division A races offer longer, more continuous stretches of whitewater with some rapids up to grade 4. These are only open to more experienced paddlers who have achieved promotion from Division B.