Representatives of Canoe Federation of Slovenia had an excellent season 2018 winning medals at all major international competitions, including European and World Championships as well as Youth Olympic Games. Wildwater Canoeing World Champion Simon Oven and canoe slalom paddler Urša Kragelj received awards for paddlers of the year.
The selection of this year’s paddler of the year in Slovenia was not an easy one. Peter Kauzer won European Champion title in canoe slalom, while Simon Oven, Nejc Žnidarčič and Blaž Cof all won World champion titles in Wildwater Canoeing. In a very tight voting wildwater kayaker Simon Oven received the title and trophy for his achievements in 2018.
Simon Oven wrote history for Slovenia winning the first ever World champion title in classic race at wildwater canoeing World Championships. Slovenians have been unbeatable in men’s kayak in wildwater sprint events for many years now, but the title in classic has been unreachable until now. Oven also won the overall World Cup series title for a second year in a row.
Women’s paddler of the year in Slovenia became Urša Kragelj, two times canoe slalom European Championships medallist, who set the best individual result at senior World Championships so far. She finished fourth in women’s K1 final of the World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, missing the podium for less than a second.
The best junior in men’s category became Lan Tominc, Youth Olympic champion in men’s K1 obstacle slalom (maintaining Slovenian record of three youth Olympic champions in three editions of YOG in the same event), best junior in women’s category is Eva Alina Hočevar, Junior Canoe Slalom World Champion and European canoe slalom vice champion. Best canoe sprinters of the year are Anja Osterman and Jošt Zakrajšek, while founder and first president of Canoe Club Bohinj, which hosted the 2015 ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships, Stane Klemenc received a lifetime achievement award.
Photos: kajak-zveza.si
5.12.2018
