The 1992 Olympic Canoe Slalom Olympic Course in La Seu d’Urgell, Spain, hosted this year’s senior canoe slalom World Championships as well as Olympic Qualification event. Members of the Spanish national team took advantage of the home course, winning six medals during the five competition days. Czech Republic, too, concluded this World Championships with a total of six medals.
Both Czech Republic and Spain opened the championships on the Segre River with three medals in team events. Spain celebrated world title in men’s kayak and won silver medals in men’s and women’s canoe. Slovakia was the best in men’s canoe team event for the ninth consecutive time (!) and Russia picked up bronze medal. Czech Republic and Poland joined Spain on the winner’s podium in men’s kayak team event, Australia, Spain and Czech Republic celebrated medal’s in women’s canoe, while Great Britain produced the best run in women’s kayak team race, finishing the race in front of Czech Republic and Russia.
In individual finals World Champion titles went to five different European countries. 24-year-old French canoeist Cedric Joly won his first medal at senior world championships after producing penalty free run in men’s C1 final. Ander Elosegui prepared a celebration for local fans picking up silver medal, while Luka Božič from Slovenia won bronze medal after producing the fastest run of the final, but two penalty seconds pushed him to third place.
Eva Terčelj surprised in women’s kayak final winning her first individual medal at senior World or European Championships. In exciting final 2008 Junior World Champion finished the race ahead of Australian star Jessica Fox and Luuka Jones from New Zealand.
In men’s kayak final Jiri Prskavec (CZE) won his second World Champion title and fourth individual medal at senior World Championships. Two Spanish kayakers joined him on the winner’s podium. David Llorente won silver medal and Joan Crespo bronze medal.
Andrea Herzog (GER) was the best in women’s C1 winning her first medal at senior World Championships. Jessica Fox from Australia was second and Nadine Weratschnig from Austria third.
In mixed C2 event gold medal went to Czech Republic thanks to Tereza Fišerova and Jakub Jane, Polish duo Aleksandra Stach – Marcin Pochwala finished second, while Jan Mašek and Veronika Vojtova from Czech Republic picked up bronze medal.
This world championship served as the global Olympic Qualifying event where majority of the quotas was awarded. Great Britain, Czech Republic and Spain have won Olympic places in all four classes alongside Japan.
2.10.2019
