Nature was stronger today and unfortunately all the programme could not be held on the Olympic regatta course in Munich at the Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe Munich 2022 European Championships. The last three events - men's K1 and women's C1 and K1 5000 metres races - were postponed to Sunday as a big thunder storm came to the venue.
But before this, spectators were able to see some great action in Munich. German paddlers picked up two wins - in men's K4 500 metres event and in men's C1 5000 metres race.
Max Rendschmidt, Tom Liebscher, Jacob Schopf and Max Lemke continued excellent German tradition of winning gold medals in the men's kayak four event. The German crew celebrated European Champion title half a second ahead of Slovakia and France.
"These three guys, they give me the best year this year. It was a hard year for me and also for them; for me it was a lot of pleasure. It was not easy because they are Olympic champions in the K4 and I'm the new one. Everyone is saying that if they don't win it's your fault," said the newest addition to the boat Jacob Schopf.
Equally impressive was also the win of Sebastian Brendel in men's C1 5000 metres event, where he outsprinted Hungarian Balazs Adolf in the last metres of the course to win his fifteenth European Champion title.
In men's C1 1000 meters final Romania's Catalin Chirila won the title ahead of Martin Fuksa from Czech Republic and Italian Carlo Tacchini.
"I'm very happy for this medal and for the world (championship) medal. I want to say thank you to my coach, to all my team, and to my friends," said Romanian canoeist.
The big and traditional battle between Balint Kopasz, Hungary, and Fernando Pimenta, Portugal, in men's K1 1000 meters final again went in favour of the younger Hungarian who was two seconds faster in the finish line. Artuur Peters from Belgium was third for a repeated podium from the 2021 European Championships in Poznan.
After the race Kopasz said: "I'm in very good form, both mentally and physically. These are my best races in this year. This is the work of the training programme which I do. I felt I am strong, I am in very good form, and in the last 200m I went with my maximum speed. I didn't see anyone else. I just focused on myself, on my pace."
Polish duo Karolina Naja and Anna Pulawska won the European Champion title in women's K2 500 meters final. They were a little less than a second faster than Belgian crew, and team of Germany came in third.
Liudmyla Luzan and Anastasiia Chetverikova were the big winners of the women's C2 500 metres final. They were a little over a second faster than Hungarians and Polish crew won bronze medal.
"Yesterday I was a little bit sad (after winning silver in the C1 500m) but today we won gold, we made it, and it's perfect," said Luzan.
In women's K1 200 metres final Denmark's Emma Jørgensen won the European Champion title after she just returned to training. Anja Osterman from Slovenia repeated her silver medal from recently concluded World Championships, while Marta Walcykiewicz from Poland picked up bronze medal.
Emma Jørgensen after the win: "I'm very happy that I have double gold. That's amazing, only with seven weeks and five days of training. That's a little bit crazy. It means a lot to stand here and defend the 200m even though it's not on the Olympic schedule any more. I'm very satisfied with my race, and I know there's definitely more to come. Next year will definitely be tough as well as that's the qualification for the Olympics. So, a lot of training, a lot of mental preparation and still have fun and enjoy the life of being a professional kayaker."
Henrikas Žustautas from Lithuania produced the fastest final performance in men's C1 200 metres final. Spain's Pablo Graña was second and Oleksii Koliadych from Poland third.
Italian duo Manfredi Rizza - Andrea Di Liberto was unbeatable in men's K2 200 meters final. It was a tough final race, as the Polish crew crossed the finish line just 0.011 second behind for the silver medal. Lithuania was third.
On the final day of the Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe Munich 2022 European Championships six paracanoe KL finals are on the programme and fifteen canoe sprint finals (three 5000 meters events that were rescheduled from Saturday are included).
RESULTS
MC1 1000
1. Catalin Chirila (ROU)
2. Martin Fuksa (CZE)
3. Carlo Tacchini (ITA)
MK1 1000
1. Balint Kopasz (HUN)
2. Fernando Pimenta (POR)
3. Artuur Peters (BEL)
WK2 500
1. Karolina Naja, Anna Pulawska (POL)
2. Lize Broekx, Hermien Peters (BEL)
3. Paulina Paszek, Jule Hake (GER)
WC2 500
1. Liudmyla Luzan, Anastasiia Chertverikova (UKR)
2. Giada Bragato, Bianka Nagy (HUN)
3. Sylvia Szczerbinska, Julia Walczak (POL)
MK4 500
1. Max Rendschmidt, Tom Liebscher, Jacob Schopf, Max Lemke (GER)
2. Samuel Balaz, Denis Mysak, Csaba Zalka, Adam Botek (SVK)
3. Gillaume Burger, Maxime Beaumont, Quilian Koch, Giullaume Le Floch (FRA)
WK1 200
1. Emma Jørgensen (DEN)
2. Anja Osterman (SLO)
3. Marta Walczykiewicz (POL)
MC1 200
1. Henrikas Žustautas (LTU)
2. Pablo Graña (ESP)
3. Oleksii Koliadych (POL)
MK2 200
1. Andrea Di Liberto , Manfredi Rizza (ITA)
2. Bartosz Grabowski, Jakub Stepun (POL)
3. Arturas Seja, Ignas Navakauskas (LTU)
MK1 5000
1. Sebastian Brendel (GER)
2. Balazs Adolf (HUN)
3. Carlo Tacchini (ITA)
LIVESTREAM: www.canoe-europe.org (certain territories will be geoblocked according to the requirements)
BROADCASTERS: https://www.munich2022.com/en/list-of-broadcasters
SCHEDULE AND RESULTS: https://results.mun.mev.atos.net/ECM2022/en/results/canoe-sprint/daily-schedule.htm
20.8.2022
