Michal Martikán is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has been competing at the international level since 1994. In 1996 he became the first athlete to win an Olympic gold medal for Slovakia since the country gained independence in 1993. In total he won 5 Olympic medals,which is the most among all slalom paddlers. He has also won the World Championship title in the C1 individual category four times.
Patrice Estanguet is a French slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1990 to 2004. He is the older brother of triple Olympic champion Tony Estanguet.
David Florence is a retired British slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1999 to 2021. He is the 2013 and 2015 world champion in individual single canoe (C1) and 2013 champion in double canoe (C2),the latter with Richard Hounslow. Florence was the first canoeist since Charles Dussuet,sixty years earlier,to achieve the C1,C2 double at the same World Championships.
Stanislav Ježek is a Czech slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 1994.
Jan Benzien is a German slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 1999. Benzien started out as a C1 paddler. Since 2012 he has also been competing in C2,teaming up with Franz Anton.
Fabien Lefèvre is a French slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 1998. As a permanent resident of the United States,he has competed for his country of residence since 2013. He represented France until 2011. He won two medals at the Summer Olympics in the K1 event with a silver in 2008 and a bronze in 2004. He has a son called Noe Lefèvre.
The 2009 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held on 9–13 September 2009 at Parc Olímpic del Segre in La Seu d'Urgell,Spain under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. It was the 32nd edition. La Seu d'Urgell hosted the event previously in 1999. A demonstration event for women's single canoe (C1W) took place that was swept by Australia. Slovakia was the top medal winner with six,including three golds. Germany and Great Britain each won four medals with a gold medal each. Host nation Spain won their first medals ever at the championships with four.
Alexander Slafkovský is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 1998,specializing in the C1 event.
Pierre Labarelle is a French slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1999 to 2015. In the early part of his career he was specializing on the C1 class. He started competing in the C2 class in 2011 when he teamed up with Nicolas Peschier.
Nicolas Peschier is a French slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1999 to 2016. In the early part of his career he was specializing on the C1 class. He also competed in the C2 class from 2011 to 2015 together with Pierre Labarelle.
Canoeing at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London were contested in two main disciplines:canoe slalom,from 29 July to 2 August,and canoe sprint,from 6 to 11 August. The slalom competition was held at the Lee Valley White Water Centre and the sprint events were staged at Eton College Rowing Centre,at Dorney Lake,known as Eton Dorney.
Matej Beňuš is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2002.
Denis Gargaud Chanut is a French slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level in C1 since 2004. Between 2009 and 2011 he also competed in the C2 category alongside Fabien Lefèvre. He won a gold medal in the C1 event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Peter Škantár is a retired Slovak slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1998 to 2018,specializing in the C2 discipline,where he teamed up with his cousin Ladislav Škantár.
Timothy Mark Baillie MBE is a Scottish slalom canoeist who represented Britain. From Westhill in Aberdeenshire,he started competing at the international level in 1996,initially in the K1 category,but switching to C2 in 2003. He retired from the sport in 2013. He is the Olympic Champion in the C2 event from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Luka Božič is a Slovenian slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2006. He started out as a C2 paddler partnering Sašo Taljat in the boat until the C2 event was discontinued in 2017. Since 2013 he has been competing internationally in C1.
Sideris Tasiadis is a German slalom canoeist of Greek descent who has competed at the international level since 2005. Son of Greek immigrants who lived in Thrace,Greece in the village of Komara for 10 years during his childhood,before moving back to Germany.
Jessica Esther "Jess" Fox is a French-born Australian Program and Policy Officer and world and Olympic champion slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2008.
Benjamin Savšek is a Slovenian slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2002,specializing in the C1 discipline. With an Olympic gold,2 individual world titles and 4 individual European titles,he is one of the most successful C1 paddlers of his generation.
JiříPrskavec is a Czech slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2008,specializing in the K1 discipline. In 2023 he also started competing in C1. He also occasionally appears in kayak cross. With an Olympic gold and a bronze,2 individual world titles and 5 individual European titles,he is one of the most successful K1 paddlers of his generation.
