News

Saturday’s part of the competition programme on the 1992 Olympic Games course in La Seu d’Urgell brought canoe slalom competitions, which had heats run and then final B and final A runs. In final A top ten competitors from heats started and fought for the podium positions. Sunday was dedicated to kayak cross events.

 

The most successful athlete of Saturday’s programme was Spanish paddler Miquel Trave who took two medals in the opening race of the season. 24-year-old paddler from the local Cadi club took advantage of his home course and produced the winning run in men’s canoe A final. He had a penalty free run and was 3.11 seconds faster than British representative Ryan Westley, 2018 European Champion and 2023 European Games champion. Polish canoeist Kacper Sztuba was third, her was a little over five seconds behind the winner.

 

Miquel Trave was on the podium also in kayak A final, there he picked up two penalty seconds, however even a penalty free run would bring him the same position – third place. Namely, the first two paddlers of the final were faster than local favourite. The best run in men’s kayak final was produced by Pau Echaniz, who stopped the clock at 86.23. Swiss paddler Martin Dougoud finished second and was 0.21 seconds behind Echaniz.

 

Nuria Vilarrubla is very successfully returning after giving birth. The local athlete was the best in women’s canoe final, where her compatriot Clara Gonzales finished two seconds behind to claim second place, while Monica Doria Vilarrubla from Andorra occupied third place.

 

In women’s kayak final Laia Sorribes, the 2017 Junior European Champion, finished the final run in front of one of the best paddlers of all times, her teammate Maialen Chourraut, who celebrated 41^st birthday on Friday. Three-time Olympic medallist had a touch and consequently two penalty seconds that pushed her to second position. Ukrainian paddler Viktoriia Us was third.

 

Sunday brought the new Olympic discipline – kayak cross events. In the men’s final British paddler Sam Leaver crossed the finish line ahead of French kayaker Mathurin Madore and Spanish representative Manel Contreras. The winner of women’s final was Monica Doria Vilarrubla from Andorra, while Spanish paddlers Olatz Areregui and Leire Goni were second and third respectively.

 

The second ECA Canoe Slalom European Cup race will be on the programme next weekend, when Pau will host the second race in the Pyrenees Cup series.