The temperature in Terceira Island, Azores, is rising as we are just a day away from the start of the 2024 ECA Ocean Racing European Championships. The 2022 Ocean Racing European Champion Judit Verges Xifra will be defending her title in the Atlantic Ocean.
More than 200 athletes from 13 European countries will take part in this year’s Ocean Racing European Championships. In addition to athletes from Portugal, France, Spain, Great Britain, Czechia, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy and Netherlands, there will be also athletes from Brazil and South Africa on the start line but competing outside the official European Championships events.
Among athletes to watch will be undoubtedly the defending champion Judit Verges Xifra from Spain in women’s SS1 event. She will be chasing her third consecutive European Champion title in ocean racing, after she finished at the top of the podium at the 2022 edition of the European Championships which was held in Cagliari as well as at the 2021 ECA Ocean Racing European Championships organised in France. In addition, she won silver medal at the 2018 Ocean Racing European Championships in Villajoyosa, Spain.
Two years ago the silver medal in women’s SS1 event also went to Spain thanks to Chloe Bunnet, while Sweden's Emma Levemyr won bronze medal.
In men’s SS1 event French kayaker Valentin Henot who was the 2022 European Champion is not on the start list, so a new paddler will be crowned European Champion.
Germany’s Gordon Habrecht, who won silver medals in 2018, 2021 and in 2022, will not be competing either for his fourth consecutive European Championships medal, but there will be Walter Bouzan from Spain on the start line, who was third in 2022. Bouzan was the 2021 European Champion.
In men's U23 event Bernardo Pereira from Portugal won the European Champion title in the previous edition of the Ocean Racing European Championships, after producing an excellent race, and he will be aiming high at his home European Championships. Two French representatives Pierre Vilella and Hector Henot were second and third respectively in men’s U23 event in 2022.
In women's U23 race Ireland's Roisin Cahill defended her 2021 European Champion title in Cagliari in 2022. Thais Delrieux from France was second and Rosemary Edwards from Great Britain third. Women's U23 and junior races were combined in 2022, as the junior race would not be an official European Championships event. However, there was a men's junior official European Championships event and French team celebrated a triple win. It was Marin Lanee winning the race ahead of his colleagues Mathis Roudaut and Kael Menez at the previous ECA Ocean Racing European Championships.
START LISTS / RESULTS:
10.4.2024
