Wildwater Racing, simply stated, is: Go from Point A to Point B down the river as fast as possible. Wildwater Racing courses are typically 20 to 35 minutes long and ideally have as many rapid as possible. Courses can include flatwater, Class V whitewater, and every class in between. The length of the course is usually 4 to 6 miles. Currently, Wildwater Racing is not an Olympic Sport; however, Wildwater World Championships occur every two years.

Wildwater Racing kayaks and canoes are long and thin, with a rounded hull profile, making them fast but unstable and hard to turn. They are turned when racing by leaning to one side rather than with wide sweep strokes. Two 'wings' (a flaring protrusion in the hull) at the back behind the paddler add stability and meet the minimum width required under racing rules. When the boat is under way, most of each wing will be above the waterline so as to minimize drag.

Racers paddle down the coarse using the fastest jets of water they can find. They follow the edges of wave trains to go fast. Also racers paddle in as straight a line as possible going down the river. Usually racers will run the river 2 or 3 times a day, a day or two before a race. Often, when they are not sure which way is fastest, they will use 2 boats and float through the different sections to see which boat was the fastest.