Jana Dukátová who is expecting her first baby this June received an award for the best sportswoman of the year and another award for the best female kayak paddler in canoe slalom. This was not surprising. 34-year-old paddler picked up silver medal at World Championships in Pau and finished third in the overall standings of the World Cup series. Dukátová was also named the best sportswoman of the National Sports Centre earlier this month, and the best in Bratislava in 2017.
The winner of the sportsman of the year award was not surprising either. Alexander Slafkovský started a season 2017 with European Champion title he won at the 2017 ECA Canoe Slalom European Championships in Slovenia, continued with good results at World Cup events which earned him third place in the overall World Cup standings, and he crowned a year with two medals (silver – C1M and gold – 3xC1M) at World Championships in France. He also finished the year as number one in ICF world ranking. He was also named best canoe paddler in canoe slalom of the year. Not only this - Slafkovský received another award for the performance of the year in canoe slalom together with Michal Martikán and Matej Beňuš. Slovak trio won seventh World Champion title in a row in men’s C1 team event!
It was a memorable year for canoe sprinters as well, having won medals both at World and European Championships in 2017. Peter Gelle and Adam Botek were second in men’s K2 1000 meters event of the World Championships in Račice, while Denis Myšák, Erik Vlček, Juraj Tarr and Tibor Linka won two medals at European Championships in men's K4 500 and 1000 metres. Peter Gelle and Adam Botek received an award for the performance of the year in canoe sprint for their silver medal.
Young kayaker Csaba Zalka won three medals last year at Junior European and World Championships which earned him an award Talent of the year in canoe sprint.
Ivana Mládková was named best female kayak sprint paddler of the year, Matej Rúsnak was the best male canoe sprinter of the year, Peter Gelle best sprint kayaker of the year and Lucia Valová best female canoe sprinter in the year 2017.
Additional awards were given to canoe slalom paddlers, Ladislav and Peter Škantár were named the best C2 pair of the year, Jakub Gigar best kayak paddler of the year, Soňa Stanovská best female canoe paddler and Eliška Mintálová talent of the year.
The best canoe slalom coach of the year was Stanislav Gejdoš, best junior canoe slalom coach Tomáš Mráz, best canoe sprint coach Radovan Šimočko and best junior canoe slalom coach Gejza Vass.
Awards for the best judges went to Renata Kollárová and Martin Bielik, while Jozef Šoška and Tomáš Grosmann received an award for the lifelong contribution to canoeing.
Peter Hochschorner senior, father and coach of four times Olympic champions Peter and Pavol Hochschorner, was introduced to the hall of fame, as well as Jan Matocha, Anton Daštinský, Ľubomír Kadnár, Milan Rosa and Vladimír Špaček.
Source: http://www.canoe.sk
25.1.2018
