The 2021 ECA Junior and U23 Wildwater Canoeing European Championships in Solkan, Slovenia, kicked off with individual classic races on the Soča River. The Czech national team opened the championships with eleven medals.
The classic race of the 2021 ECA Junior and U23 Wildwater Canoeing European Championships is part of the borderless project of municipalities of Nova Gorica and Italian neighbour Gorizia. The start of the classic race was in Solkan on the Slovenian side of the border, while the finish was in Italian village of Piuma.
Czech team dominated the classic races especially in junior category. In junior men's C1 event they took all the medals, Karel Rasner was first, František Salaj second and Matej Vanek third. The same athletes were also involved in the triple Czech win in men's C2 event. František Salaj - Petr Smakal took gold, in front of Rasner - Vanek and Matous Beier - Alva Beier. Maytas Novak was crowned junior European Champion in men's K1 event. Tristan Meersmans from Belgium was second and Tjaš Til Kupsch from Slovenia third. Tereza Kneblova won two medals in junior category. She became European Champion in C1 and finished third in K1 event. Laura Fontaine (FRA) was second and Jana Strilkova (CZE) third in C1.
The women's K1 junior European Champion title went to Germany thanks to Marlene Wesseling who was faster than British representative Kerry May Christie and already mentioned Tereza Kneblova.
Italian paddler Cecilia Panato became double U23 European Champion. First she won in kayak ahead of Belgium's Laurane Sinnesael and Slovenia's Ana Šteblaj, and repeated this success again in canoe. In this event Elsa Gaubert (FRA) finished second and Marie Nemcova (CZE) third. Another daughter of wildwater legend Vladi Panato, Alice Panato, celebrated the gold medal in women's C2 event where she joined forces with Valentina Razzauti. Italian duo was faster than British crew Emma Eve Christie - Kerry May Christie and French duo Elsa Gaubert - Helene Raguenes.
Linus Bolzern (SUI) became the U23 European Champion in men's kayak event. He was 16 seconds faster than Kilian Meersmans from Belgium who won silver medal and almost 20 seconds faster than French kayaker Augustin Reboul in third place.
The remaining two gold medals went to France. Etienne Klatt won in men's U23 C1 classic event, ahead of his teammate Charles Ferrion and Italian Tommaso Mapelli. The men's C2 U23 title was won by Manoel Roussin - Tanguy Roussin, Louis Passernig - Mathis Perreau (all FRA) were second, and Nejc Gradišek - Martin Gale won third bronze medal of the day for the host nation.
On Thursday, the championships continues with team classic races.
RESULTS: http://www.timing-mojstrana.com/25-8-28-8-2021-solkan-2021-eca-junior-u23-wildwater-canoeing-european-championships/
25.8.2021
