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The picturesque Solkan and well-known Soča river host this year's Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom European Championships that attracted around 350 athletes from 29 European countries.  

 

The first competition day brought heats in men's and women's kayak in both age groups. Polish kayaker Klaudia Zwolinska, who participated at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, took the win in women's U23 K1 heats ahead of Czech representative Tereza Fišerova, who too competed in Japan but in C1, while Slovak kayaker Michaela Hassova finished third.

 

Spanish paddler Pau Echaniz was the best in men's K1 U23 heats. He was 0.87 seconds faster than Christopher Bowers from Great Britain, while another Briton Ben Haylett finished third.

 

It was a double Slovak lead in women's junior K1 heats. Ivan Chlebova set the best time and was 0.87 seconds faster than her teammate Zuzana Pankova. Emma Vuitton from France was third on the opening day of the championships.

 

In the last event of the day we saw the same order of the top three junior kayakers as in the final of this year's junior World Championships that was also held in Slovenia, but in Ljubljana. French representative Titouan Castryck was the best, Czech Martin Rudorfer was second, and Slovenia's Jan Ločnikar was third.

 

On Friday, a very tough day is ahead of all involved in the championships. The day starts early with individual men's and women's canoe heats, then all the team events will follow and the day will conclude with the extreme slalom time trials.