The basics
The competitor kneels in the canoe and uses a single-bladed paddle.
Competition format
The competition starts with heats. Each canoeist runs the course twice and the best of these two scores determines the 12 qualifiers for the semi-finals.
In the semi-final each canoeist runs the course once. The top eight best scores qualify for the final.
The final is one run down the course. The athlete with the best score is the winner.
Find out more about the Men's Canoe Single (C1) competiton at the Olympic Games on the International Olympic Committee website.
