Czech Canoe Union awarded the best paddlers of the season 2017 which was very successful for the Czech team in both Olympic disciplines - Canoe Slalom and Canoe Sprint - as well as in Wildwater Canoeing. With many medals won at the European and World Championships the decision who has been the best athlete of the year was not easy, but at the end it was canoe slalom World Champion Ondřej Tunka who received an award for the best athlete of the year.
In individual standings Tunka’s team colleague Vít Přindiš, World Championships silver medallist and overall World Cup winner, finished second and Martin Fuksa, the best Czech canoe sprinter also this year’s European and World Champion, was third.
The best team of the year is Czech K4 (Jakub Špicar, Daniel Havel, Jan Štěrba and Radek Šlouf), while Ondřej Rolenc received an award for the best wildwater canoeing athlete of the year. The best junior of the year is Antonie Galušková, reigning Junior Canoe Slalom World Champion.
“I am honoured to receive an award after the experts voted and recognised the World Champion title in Olympic discipline. I thank all for the support and I look forward to next races, especially June’s European Championships in Prague,” said Tunka, who was not present at the ceremony because he is already preparing for new challengesof the season 2018 in New Zealand.
Czech Canoe Union also awarded Jana Šťastná with the special award for the lifetime contribution to canoe touring and with an occasion of the 70th anniversary they gave an award to Petr Sodomka, an eight-times Canoe Slalom and Wildwater Canoeing World Champion and 1972 Olympian.
Photo: Czech Canoe Union
Source: https://sport.idnes.cz/kanoistika-kanoista-roku-2017-dpt-/sporty.aspx?c=A180111_200931_sporty_rou
17.1.2018
