What happens if a paddler turns over during a run?
I · Intermediate · The run · 1 of 7It depends on whether they stay in the boat. A paddler who goes under and rolls back up carries on with no penalty for the roll itself. A paddler who leaves the boat completely has capsized. Crossing the finish line upside down or capsized means the run is recorded as not finished.
How it works
- Upside down: "The boat is considered upside down when the head of the athlete is entirely under water."
- Capsize: "when the athlete (or an athlete in C2) has left the boat completely".
- A roll: "A roll is not considered to be a capsize."
- At the finish: an athlete who crosses the finish line upside down or capsized is given a DNF for that run.
- At a gate: a head that breaks a gate line upside down costs fifty seconds, unless the gate is retaken the right way up.
- In a team: team-mates may help each other to roll without penalty.
- After a team capsize: the rest of the team may not go on to take further gates on purpose.
- Getting out: athletes must be able to free themselves from the boat at once, at all times.
The glossary has the roll, the capsize and the spray skirt.
Tricky cases
Is a roll penalised?
No. A roll is not a capsize, and there is no penalty for it unless the head crosses a gate line while under water.
A paddler rolls up two metres before the finish line. Does the run count?
Yes. The run is lost only if the finish line is crossed upside down or capsized.
Can a team-mate push a capsized paddler's boat back over?
Yes, in a team run. Members of the team may help each other to roll.
A paddler swims to the bank, climbs back in and carries on. Does the run count?
It depends on a point the rules read for this page do not settle. Leaving the boat completely is a capsize. The rules give a DNF for crossing the finish capsized and do not say what follows a capsize part-way down an individual run.
Why the rule exists
Going over is part of paddling white water, and the roll is the skill that answers it. The rules leave it unpunished apart from the time it costs. Leaving the boat is different: the run is over, and the rules about getting out quickly and about buoyancy are there for that moment.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ICF rules | As above | SL 10.15; SL 10.4.4 |
| Team runs | Help with a roll is allowed. After a capsize the team stops taking gates | SL 10.15.4; SL 10.16.4 |
| Kayak cross | A full 360-degree roll is a required part of the course. A capsize is a DNF | SL 16.22.5; SL 16.24.3 |
From the rule book
International Canoe Federation, Canoe Slalom Competition Rules 2025, Articles 3.7.3, 10.4.4, 10.9.3, 10.15 and 10.16.4. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: ICF Canoe Slalom Competition Rules (PDF).