Ideally, in a slalom race, each racer passes through 20 to 25 gates (upstream and downstream oriented) in the numbered order without hitting the dangling poles that create the gate. Racers watch a demonstration run and are then allowed two official race runs each. These race runs are added together to give the final time in seconds. Penalties for unsuccessful gate negotiation are added in and the fastest time wins.

Gates

Gates are placed on the course to challenge the racer's whitewater skill. A gate is composed of two striped poles that are suspended from an aerial wire that spans the race waterway. The poles are approximately one meter apart. Red and white striped pole gates are usually placed where the racer eddies out to paddle upstream through the gate. Green and white striped poles are usually put in the river current where racers pass downstream through them. Using a river's powerful currents, eddies, waves and holes, specific moves are applied by the racers to keep them on line.

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The time penalties are set so that two seconds are added to the running time when the racers touch one or both of the poles of a gate with the paddle, boat or body. Fifty seconds are added for failing to negotiate a gate. This can mean missing the gate altogether, tipping upside-down while passing through the gate, or going the wrong direction through the gate. Since other situations can also result in a 50-second penalty, Olympic judges are trained and tested on the rules. Olympic judges are chosen from all over the world.

Classes and Boats
Judging and Penalties

The racers are given time penalties for hitting the poles or missing a gate and these are added to their running time to determine each run's score.