Abstract
Abstract. The article provides an analysis of hydraulic technical requirements based on model investigations of the artificial slalom courses designed for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. A main, “Competition Course“ will be used for top level sporting events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships and/or World Cups, as well as commercial rafting and other recreational activities in Legacy. A second “Training Course“ will be used for pre-race warmup, as well as for post-Games recreation and training opportunities for all varieties of whitewater enthusiasts, including youth development and instructional programs. The main aim of the physical model investigations was to evaluate these courses designs from a hydraulic point of view - to validate technical performance objectives and to determine the optimal positioning for hydraulic features within the channels, with respect to design criteria which are: optimal water depth at prescribed flows, optimal current velocities, optimal Games-ready hydraulic configurations, safety criteria compliance, suitability for various Legacy uses (per IOC intent).
Highlights
Whitewater canoe slalom sport at both competitive and recreational levels depends on the provision of top quality slalom courses and on the availability of local practice areas
Basic geometry - the length of an artificial slalom course should conform to the standards of International Canoe Federation (ICF) from 200 – 400 m, the width of 10 m or more is suggested for putting gates allowing manoeuvring among them, minimum depth of about 0.6 m is needed, since canoeists would have difficulty in paddling in shallower water; depth of 0.6 m of water is so that paddlers can successfully perform an Eskimo roll; depths great enough should be minimized to reduce costs or necessary flow rate Q
The experiments concentrated on velocities, creation of key hydraulic features in different sections of the courses, depths, directions of flow, and everything else that could be influenced by the configurations of obstacles
Summary
Whitewater canoe slalom sport at both competitive and recreational levels depends on the provision of top quality slalom courses (like Olympic Games) and on the availability of local practice areas. With a similar principle of creating an artificial whitewater course is possible to see nowadays many successful facilities in the world including all Olympic Games since 1992. The term “artificial slalom course” applies to sites where major works provide a facility for the canoeist where previously none existed, or where the work completely transforms the water quality of the site from sport point of view. It is an attempt to re-create the natural hydraulic phenomena found in open river basins in an artificial, purposebuilt river basin. These artificial courses can often be constructed within a short period of time, as opposed to their natural counterparts built over millions of years, and be operated with unnaturally predictable and controlled conditions. The excitement of the sport has proven in Tokyo the 2020/2021 Olympic Games
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