News

The first day of the senior, U23 and junior part of the 2024 ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships brought eight medal events - six short race events and two marathon competitions in junior age group.

 

The host nation - Poland started the day in the best possible way. Agata Kowalak was crowned Junior European Champion in women's C1 event. She concluded the 11.80 kilometres long course in 1:09:41.19. This was 49.77 seconds faster than Czech Tereza Kodetova who won silver medal, while Spanish canoeist Candela Romero picked up bronze medal (+4:28.88).

 

Men's junior canoe event was contested on a 15.40 kilometres long course. Here, Polish representative Alex Wilga won the second gold medal of the day for host nation, stopping the clock at 1:20:28.58. His teammate Krystian Kubicva (POL) was second (+26.38), while Hungarian Marcell Meri won bronze medal (+42.90).

 

The remaining races were the short races over 3.40 kilometres. Local favourite Mateusz Borgiel won the European Champion title with a time 16:58.31 and prolonged his winning streak. He was crowned European Champion also last year in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, as well as in 2022 and 2021. Ignacio Calvo ESP finished second (+24.82), while bronze medal went to Portugal with Rui Lacerda (+26.02).

 

Vanda Kiszli, Hungarian canoe marathon paddler, won her third consecutive European Champion title in women's K1 short race. She finished the course in 16:39.01, which was 19.03 seconds faster than Kristina Bedec from Serbia. Bedec was the 2021 European Champion in short race. Susanna Cicali from Italy was third (+35.77).

 

In men's K1 short race Danish paddler Mads Pedersen picked up gold medal and was crowned European Champion. He set the time 14:30.42. Norwegian Jon Vold was 19.14 seconds behind and won silver medal, while British kayaker James Russell claimed bronze medal (+26.13).

 

Liudmyla Babak from Ukraine also won her third consecutive European Champion title in women's C1 short race with a time 19:32.96. Her teammate Olena Tsyhankova was second (+18.73), while bronze medal went to the hands of French canoeist Yseline Huet (+28.79).

 

Maria Gomes from Portugal was the fastest in women's K1 junior short race. She produced the time 18:06.29, Karen Andersen from Denmark was second (+11.71), while Laura Figaredo from Spain won bronze medal (+15.75).

 

Hungarian kayaker Daniel Zemen won junior European Champion title in men's junior K1 short race. He concluded the race in 15:40.01. Arvid Soderman from Sweden was second (+2.62), and Anton Hinge from Denmark third (+3:50).

 

On Friday, the championships continues with six canoe marathon events in junior and U23 age groups, open race and demonstration paracanoe events.