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Portugal hosted this year’s edition of the World Paddle Awards where the best in canoeing have been awarded for their achievements. Golden paddles were given in eleven categories and almost all the awards ended in the hands of European representatives.

With Olympic year behind us the awards were this time given also for the performances at the Olympic Games.

Maialen Chourraut (ESP) received an award for the best female Canoe Slalom Olympian after she won her second Olympic – first gold – medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Cousins Peter and Ladislav Škantar (SVK) received an award in the category of Canoe Slalom Male Olympians, Danuta Kozak (HUN) was unsurprisingly awarded as the best Canoe Sprint Female Olympian, while Sebastian Brendel (GER) received a golden paddle as the best Canoe Sprint Male Olympian.

In the selection of best sportswoman, where representatives of the non-Olympic disciplines contested for the award, Hungarian Renata Csay won the award for her outstanding canoe marathon career.

I owe a debt of gratitude to many people. To all my trainers, training partners and especially to my trainer László Sztanity. He is the person who is more than only a trainer and with his help my career started! I would also like to thank to my family. Thank you to my husband who was also World Champion, my mother who has been helping me with the children and finally to my kids who have to tolerate my absence,” said Renata.

Curtis McGrath, Australian paracanoeist, took an award for the best sportsman. The best young athlete of the past year is Nadezhda Makarchenko, canoe sprint athlete from Belarus, who picked up three gold medals at last year’s junior world championships. The award for lifetime achievement went into the hands of John Edwards (CAN), who played an important role in putting Paracanoe onto the Paralympics programme. John Broe Rasmussen of the Vejle Club House (DEN) received an award in the industry professional category, Christine Curgenven (GBR) was named media professional of the year, and Rok Rozman (SLO), the man behind the Balkan Rivers Tour project fighting to raise awareness about ‘the dam craze’ in the Balkans, received the Fountation Award.

AWARDS

Olympian Slalom Female: Maialen Chourraut (ESP)
Olympian Slalom Male: Peter Škantar – Ladislav Škantar (SVK)
Olympian Sprint Female: Danuta Kozak (HUN)
Olympian Sprint Male: Sebastian Brendel (GER)
Sportswoman: Renata Csay (HUN)
Sportsman: Curtis McGrath (AUS)
Junior: Nadezhda Makarchenko (BLR)
Lifetime: John Edwards (CAN)
Foundation: Rok Rozman (SLO)
Industry Professional: John Broe Rasmussen, Vejle Club House (DEN)
Media Professional: Christine Curgenven (GBR)

Photo: World Paddle Awards

More information: www.worldpaddleawards.com