Kolpa River on the border between Croatia and Slovenia hosted the last ECA Wildwater Canoe Sprint European Cup race of the season 2021. Dušan Mačkić, Nika Ozimc, Tomislav Hohnjec, Alba Zoe Grzin and Lenart Stanovnik won in their respective events.
After the demanding and long season the race on the Kolpa River did not attract as many competitors as usually, as majority of the top level paddlers took a break before the start of the preparations for the season 2022. The ECA Cup on Kolpa River was usually organised in April, but this year it has been moved to October.
In men’s senior kayak event the win went to Bosnia and Herzegovina thanks to Dušan Mačkić. There was one paddler who produced a faster time of the day – Slovenian Lenart Stanovnik – but he competed in junior event. In senior final North Macedonians Aleksandar Zlatarov and Ljubomir Spasikj finished in second and third place.
As mentioned above, Lenart Stanovnik set the fastest time of the day. It was a secure win for reigning Junior European Champion in this event. He was more than three and a half seconds faster than his teammate Klemen Breznik, while Žiga Zidar, also from Slovenia, took bronze medal.
In women’s kayak event all three medals stayed in Slovenia. It was Nika Ozimc who was the fastest, Živa Jančar finished second and Ula Skok occupied third place. In women’s canoe only Alba Zoe Grzin started.
Experienced Croatian canoeist Tomislav Hohnjec won in men’s canoe final. Dušan Mačkić won his second medal of the day after he produced the second fastest time in this event, and Croatian Janko Presečki was third.
11.10.2021
