The 16 competitors each took two runs through the whitewater slalom course on 17 September. The combined score of both runs counted for the event with the top 12 advancing to the final round the following day.
Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Canoeing: Men's Canadian Slalom Singles". In The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition. London: Aurum Press Limited. pp. 486–7.