The first event of this year's ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships in France was women's junior race. It was Hungarian Sara Makrai who showed the best performance to win the gold medal. It took her one hour, 31 minutes and 43 seconds to complete the 18,9 kilometres long course.
"I had to wake up very early in the morning, so it was hard for me. The water and weather were also good, it was not so hot yet. I think I did my best," said the new European Champion.
Joke Plas from Belgium won silver medal and Eszter Csonka from Hungary was third.
Hungary celebrated second gold medal of the day in men's C1 junior race. Balazs Palla won the European Champion title in front of Spanish canoeist Leon Villalba and Portuguese paddler Marco Oliveira. After the race Balazs Palla said, "The race was very hard and long, because it is very hot. I was in the lead the whole competition, so I am very happy with the win."
In men's junior K1 race it was another gold for Hungary. Vince Petro picked up the gold medal, Nikolai Thomsen from Denmark was second and Tim Dowden from Great Britain third.
Today we also followed the short 3,4 kilometres long races. Host nation celebrated a double win in men's kayak event. Sprint kayaker Cyrille Carre picked up gold medal in front of his compatriot Jeremy Candy. Adrian Boros from Hungary was third.
"My last marathon world championships was in 2014. It is not possible to compete at canoe sprint and canoe marathon World championships, because it is usually just two weeks in between. I think you are better in marathon when you are older, not when you are young, so I think now is my best time," said Carre.
Zsofia Czellai-Voros was the fastest in women's kayak short race. "It was a really good race, but the weather is too hot. The water is also very good. It was quite tough race, but I kept my patience and was very calm during the race and I think that was the key to win this," said Zsofia Czellai-Voros. Eva Barrios from Spain was second and Lizzie Broughton from Great Britain third.
Liudmyla Babak from Ukraine won the gold medal in women's C1 short race, ahead of two Hungarian paddlers Dora Horanyi and Regina Bonyai. In men's C1 short race Wiktor Glazunow from Poland won gold medal, Manuel Campos from Spain was second and Jakub Brezina from Czech Republic third.
The temperatures were around 40 degrees Celsius at the venue of the championships, so the organisers had to modify the competition schedule a bit, starting the morning part of the programme earlier and also starting the afternoon block later in the afternoon.
On Friday the championships will continue with MK1 U23, WK1 U23, MC1 U23 events, WK2, MK2, MC2 junior races and women's C1 junior event.
Livestreaming is available at Canoe Europe Facebook page and Canoe Europe Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/CanoeEurope
Startlists/results: http://decize2019.spotfokus.com/
GPS tracking: https://www.tractrac.com/event-page/event_20190721_ICFCanoeMa/1635?fbclid=IwAR3UXhDPZLouUfTUV3ddPKOuHvei_4Mqg936h1lhqGViWdwYxdgi2dyoGK8
25.7.2019
