Downriver
The endurance discipline — a mass-start dash down a long stretch of river where fitness, line choice, and reading water decide the day.
What the Downriver is
The Downriver is the longest, most demanding discipline: crews paddle a pre-set stretch of river — 3 to 10 kilometres — in the fastest time, working through whatever rapids and technical features the course delivers. It rewards endurance and smart line choice as much as flat-out speed.
Teams usually start in groups of 4 to 8 rafts (more where the venue allows, or individually where it doesn’t), with the highest-ranked crews going in the first heat. The Race Director may select an alternative course based on the water level on the day.
How the Downriver is scored — Adventure Format
The Downriver is decided on the best time achieved, with any penalties added in. Teams are ranked fastest to slowest, and ranking points are awarded by finishing position. If two teams record the same time, the higher placing goes to the crew with the better Sprint result.
The Downriver is worth a maximum of 100 points, one of the scored Adventure disciplines (with Slalom, H2H, and the qualifying Sprint), to a maximum of 300 points per event. Points follow the placement scale:
| Finishing position | % of max | Downriver points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 100% | 100 |
| 2nd | 90% | 90 |
| 3rd | 80% | 80 |
| 4th | 75% | 75 |
| 5th | 70% | 70 |
| 6th | 68% | 68 |
| 7th | 66% | 66 |
| 8th & beyond | −2% per place | 64, 62, 60 … |
For World Ranking, points are multiplied by an event value factor set by the event’s classification level (Annex B).
Penalties
Penalties are added to the team’s total time in seconds.
Summarized from the URF Sport Rules v. 8/02/2026 (Downriver: Art. 61–64; scoring: Art. 10–11). The full rule book governs in any case of conflict.