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A quick look at the entry list for the 2017 ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships is really impressive. The event attracted athletes from Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Ukraine.

 

The strongest nations with long tradition in canoe marathon, such as Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Denmark etc. came to Portugal with excellent paddlers, both from canoe marathon as well as canoe sprint. Many of them have medals from World and European Championships and World Cup events in canoe sprint and/or canoe marathon.

 

In women’s event Renata Csay (HUN) rarely knows the defeat. She has been unbeaten in K1 and K2 events of the European Championships in the last three years. 40-year-old Hungarian legend of this sport has 12 gold medals from Canoe Marathon European Championships so far and she is determined to continue her winning streak. Other strong contenders for the medals in Hungarian team are Vanda Kiszli, multiple Canoe Marathon European Championships medallist herself, Adrian Boros, Marton Kover …

 

Portuguese fans of canoe marathon will have a lot of reasons to see the event in person. Fernando Pimenta, who is a reigning European Champion of the 1000 metres canoe sprint event, will take part in the championships which is organised this year in his home town, and Jose Ramalho will defend his European Champion title he won last year in Pontevedra, Spain.

 

Not to forget the neighbouring Spanish athletes who always reach the top positions with Ivan Alonso and Oscar Grana being just two of their hopes for the medal. Denmark will be represented by their strong athletes who already won medals last year as well by Henriette Hansen. Anna Kožiškova will be one of the main favourites in the Czech team, Stefania Cicali in Italian team, Lizzie Broughton and Zyggy Chmiel in British team …

 

The first competitions of the Championships will start on Thursday with K1W, C1W, C1M, K1M Junior events and K1W U23 event. Later in the day the short events, on a 3,6 kilometres long course, will be introduced, but these races will not be an official part of the European Championships, so no European Champion titles will be awarded to the fastest paddlers.

 

On Friday K2W, K2M and C2M junior events will be held as well as K1M and C1M U23 races. On Saturday seniors in K1M, K1W, C1M and C1W events will fight for the medals, while on Sunday the championships will close with K2W, C2M and K2M senior events.

 

European Championships will be streamed live on Canoe Europe Youtube Channel and according to the organisers this will be the biggest canoe marathon TV production ever.