Whitewater canoeing, or slalom canoeing, was first held at the Olympics in 1972 in Munich. The sport was not contested in the Olympics between 1976 and 1988, but returned to the Olympic programme in 1992. Slalom canoe racing has been contested ever since, with events in 1996 and 2000. During the Olympics and world championships, slalom racers compete in four events, three for men and one for women. Men compete in Canadian singles (C1) and doubles (C2) and kayak singles (K1), while women compete only in kayak singles (K1). During the world championships, slalom canoeists also compete for team titles. There are also wild-water canoe world championships in all four events, contested since 1989. The events have been dominated by Europeans.

In addition to competitive slalom racing, whitewater canoeists also practise by attempting to run very difficult rapids and rivers. There are numerous rating systems, but in North America the rapids are rated from Class I (the mildest) to Class VI (the most difficult). While flat racers must paddle continuously in a straight line, whitewater racers are propelled by the current of the water. They must develop the ability to slow down, stop, and turn around obstacles and racing gates.