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The third competition day at the 2024 ECA Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint European Championships in Bratislava - Zemnik brought the first ten finals A over 1000 metres. Italy and Czechia won two gold and a silver medal each, which means they top the medal table after the first day of finals. Hungary and Poland won six medals each - Hungary one gold, four silver and a bronze, while Poland enriched their medals collection with a gold, two silver and three bronze medals. Romania and Germany won three medals during the first day of finals, Ukraine two, while Denmark, Switzerland, Turkiye and Spain won a medal each.

 

Italian fans celebrated a double gold medal in women's 1000 metres kayak finals in junior and U23 age groups. Young Anastasia Insabella, born in 2009, won the Junior European Champion title at her first Junior European Championships in career. She was 1.204 seconds faster than Bianka Hofer (HUN) and 5.204 second faster than Julia Kot (POL) in third position. "I am very very happy and tired. I had two very strong days of racing, I am excited. It was hard," said the young Italian who burst into tears of happiness after her great victory.

 

The excitement of the first Italian gold medal of the day has not even cooled down, when Giorgia Lacalamita won the gold medal in women's U23 K1 final. There, Adela Hazova (CZE) finished second and Weronika Marczewska (POL) third. "It is fantastic. This is my first medal in the K1! I am so happy, I did not expect it, but I was sure I will do something great. I feel grateful and happy for the work I've done," said Giorgia Lacalamita after she received her gold medal.

 

Valdemar Jorgensen (DEN) was crowned U23 men's K1 1000 metres European Champion and he succeeded his compatriot Thorbjorn Rask who claimed the title at the 2023 ECA U23 European Championships. It was a very tight race. Jorgensen crossed the finish line 0.513 seconds ahead of Luca Lauper from Switzerland and Hunor Hidvegi from Hungary, who both produced the same time and therefore shared the second place.

 

In men's Junior K1 1000 metres event Polish kayaker Alex Borucki confirmed the status of the first favourite and took the gold medal, finishing two seconds ahead of his closest rivals Attila Mertz (HUN) and Lukas Drossart (GER). "I feel amazing. I love this course, it was I think my seventh time here. Every time is the same great feeling, I feel here like at home. I feel strong, I went to the race with a plan not to show everything in the middle of the race, but at the finish. It went good, I won with a high margin. I hope for three gold medals here, but time will show us," said Borucki, who was very strong also in the 200 and 500 metres heats and will be among the main favourites for the win there as well.

 

Czech canoeist Adam Rudolf produced the best time in men's U23 C1 1000 metres final to win ahead of Kacper Sieradzan (POL) and Daniel Grijalba (ESP). Darius Vlaicu from Romania was the fastest in junior C1 1000 metres final. Polish canoeist Rafal Poklepa finished second and Milan Gyanyi from Hungary was third.

 

Milan Konyecsni and Vilmos Szabo (HUN) claimed European Champion title in men's junior K2 1000 metres final. Turkish duo Rahmi Karahan - Taha Usta finished second and Germans Tim Methner - Linus Engeln were third. "It was very hard, but we made a good race. The pace was very high and we managed to make a good advantage," said Konyecsni, while Szabo added, "We trained for it the whole year and we gave it all. This was the maximum we can give."

 

Vit Prokopa and Martin Novacek (CZE) were the best in men's junior C2 1000 metres final, where Romanians Eduard Fecu and Darius Vlaicu finished second, while Ukrainian duo Maksym Bovkun and Zakhar Ivanchuk picked up bronze medal.

 

Germany celebrated gold medal in men's K2 U23 1000 metres final with Philipp Quiel and Jonas Borkowski. Italians Federico Zanutta and Luca Micotti were second, and Polish kayakers Valerii Vichev and Jaroslaw Kajdanek finished third.

 

In the last final of Saturday's programme Volodymyr Savchyn and Taras Kuzyk (UKR) claimed the European Champions title in men's C2 U23 1000 metres final, where Hungarians Nicholas Fodor and David Hodovan won silver medal, and Romanians Braulio Mateescu - Georgel Baragau finished third.

 

On Sunday, young athletes will fight for the European Champion titles in 500 and 200 metres finals. There will be 28 A finals on the programme of the last competition day.