The main objective of the European Canoe Association when deciding to introduce the ECA Open Slalom Cup was to offer athletes who failed to qualify for national teams to compete at European and World Championships and in the World Cup series another race series on a high level. This does not, however, mean that top level athletes, European, World and Olympic champions, will not have an opportunity to compete at these races and check their form. This year the series will be tested on six venues.
The first race of the season will be in Markkleeberg, followed by Tacen, Liptovsky Mikulaš, Merano, Prague and Bratislava.
The ICF ranking race format with heats, semifinal and final will be in use at all ECA Open Slalom Cup races. The ECA Open Slalom Cup will be organised only in Olympic disciplines: K1M, K1W, C1M, C1W.
The entries are open without limitation of the number of boats per event and per federation. However, the host National Federation can limit the number of boats per event per Federation with no less than 6 boats per event. National Federations must complete all the entries through the ICF online entries system (SDP).
Athletes will be allocated points for their result at each of the competitions, similar to World Cup series, with a difference that in the ECA Open Slalom Cup series competitors, who will not qualify for the semifinal, will not receive any points. The winner of the race will receive 60 points, second place will bring 55 points, third place 50 points, fourth place 44 points, fifth place 43 points, sixth place 42 points, seventh place 41 points, eight place 40 points etc. In the overall standings of the competition series the best three results plus final race result will be taken into consideration. In a case that competitor will not start at the last venue of the series, top three results will count for his final score. Overall winners will receive special trophies.
2019 ECA OPEN SLALOM CUP CALENDAR
ICF ranking race - Markkleeberg (GER) - 6/04/ - 7/04/2019
ICF ranking race - Tacen (SLO) - 27/04/ - 28/04/2019
ICF ranking race - Liptovsky Mikulaš (SVK) - 11/05/ - 12/05/2019
ICF ranking race - Merano (ITA) - 8/06/ - 9/06/2019
ICF ranking race - Prague (CZE) - 3/08/ - 4/08/2019
ICF ranking race - Bratislava (SVK) - final - 10/08/ - 11/08/2019
5.2.2019
