News

Banja Luka is one of the traditional venues for the Wildwater Canoeing competitions of the highest international level and this week the Vrbas River will welcome the future stars of Wildwater Canoeing at the ECA Junior and U23 Wildwater Canoeing European Championships.

 

Athletes from 19 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Ireland, North Macedonia, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine) will be on the start line over four competition days.

 

The championships will be officially opened on Wednesday evening, and the first races will kick off on Thursday when competitors will paddle in wildwater sprint heats. On Friday, the first sets of medals will be awarded to the best in individual sprint finals as well as team sprint races. Saturday will bring individual classic races, and on Sunday the championships will conclude with team classic events.

 

All the strongest Wildwater Canoeing nations are in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and representatives of Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Slovenia will be among the main favourites for the medals. On the start list we can find many athletes who already have rich experience in senior categories and medals from previous junior and U23 Championships, and will aim for the highest places in Tijesno Canyon. Among them will be Tereza Kneblova, Cecilia Panato, Alice Panato, Laura Fontain Manoel and Tanguy Fontaine, Marie Nemcova, Ana Steblaj, Charles Ferrion, Augustin Reboul, Mikulas Zapletal, Tjas Til Kupsch, Nika Ozimc, Anna Retkova, Matej Vanek ...