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Basque Country Kayaking
(from 12 years old depending on water level)
Be an actor in your descent by directing yourself, in semi-autonomy, a new generation machine. Always supervised by a professional guide.
The kayak-raft, also called the "airyak" or the "airboat", is a very stable inflatable kayak (suitable for beginners) for one person. It allows you to easily go down class 2 or 3 raft courses. Closed boat, the kayak is steered in a seated position with a paddle.
It was during the second half of the 19th century that Jhon MacGregor introduced the practice of kayaking into Western culture. This sport opened up to the world of competition in 1865 in England and then in 1869 in France. The International Canoeing Federation was created in 1924. From then on, the competitions followed with the European Championships in 1933 and the World Championships in 1938. In 1936, the Olympic Games in Berlin saw the first official event for this sport.
The kayak is a kind of very light canoe propelled, directed and balanced by a paddle.
Of Inuit origin, it was made with bent frames, lined and decked with skins and maneuvered using a single or double paddle.
Nowadays, synthetic or pneumatic materials, waterproof fabrics make up the kayak and a double paddle allows it to be maneuvered.
Led in a seated position with a double paddle, the kayak has a deck called a skirt leaving a hole for sitting called the tub.
The practice of sport being designated by the general term "canoe kayak", kayaking is often confused with rowing and canoeing. However, the different practices and constructions make it possible to distinguish river kayaking (whitewater) and speed kayaking (online racing) on the one hand, and sea kayaking on the other, both of which constitute a sport.