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The 2023 ECA Paracanoe and Junior/U23 Canoe Sprint European Championships in Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal, kicked off with 1000 and 500 metres heats. The first competition day was dominated by two nations.

Paddlers from Hungary and Germany had a good racing day in cloudy and somewhat chilly conditions. In 26 events that were on the programme on Thursday, Hungarian and German athletes set the fastest times of the day in majority of them. At the end of day one, Hungarian canoe sprinters dominated in eleven events, German in seven and Italian in four events. Athelets from Spain, Switzerland, Poland and Norway had the fastest heats time in the remaining four events.

Zsoka Csikos (WK1 U23 1000m), Richard Herda - Laszlo Borbely (MK1 Junior 1000m), Milan Meszaros - Iliasz Mitropoulos (MC2 Junior 1000m), Agnes Kiss (WC1 Junior 500m), Reka Opavszky (WC1 U23 500m), Gergely Lugosi - Istvan Juhasz (MC2 Junior 500m), Aliz Gombas - Hanna Peto (WK2 Junior 500m), Agnes Kiss - Csepke Molnar (WC2 Junior 500m), Kristof Kollar - David Hodovan (MC2 U23 500m), Karina Biben - Szabina Szellak (WK2 U23 500m) and women's Junior K2 were those in the Hungarian team that started this championships with full power.

A very good day is behind young German kayaker Caroline Heuser, who set the fastest heats time in both junior women's kayak events of the day, over 1000 and 500 metres. Her teammate Tobias Hammer was the best in men's K1 U23 1000 metres heats, David Bauschke in men's C1 U23 1000 metres event and Gesine Ragwitz in women's K1 U23 500 metres heats. Germany was fast in doubles as well. Tim Bechtold and David Toepel has the best race of the day in men's C1 U23 1000 metres heats, and Philipp Quiel - Leon Reckzeh in men's K2 Junior 500 metres heats.

Francesco Lanciotti and Giovanni Penato (ITA) were too fast for their rivals in men's K2 U23 1000 and 500 meters heats, as Italian duo set the fastest times of the day in over both distances. Italian paddlers were also the fastest in men's junior K4 500 metres heats and in men's junior C1 1000 metres heat thanks to Samuele Veglianti.

Swiss kayaker Luca Lauper was the best in the first event of the day, men's junior 1000 metres heats, Alex Borucki (POL) in men's junior 500 metres heats and Gunnar Eide (NOR) in men's U23 500 metres heats. Spain was the best in men's K4 U23 500 metres heats. 

On Friday, the 2023 ECA Paracanoe and Junior/U23 Canoe Sprint European Championships continues with 500 and 1000 metres semifinal, 200 metres heats and four paracanoe heats.

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