Too much satisfaction of Slovenian fans Vid Debeljak and Nejc Žnidarčič won gold and silver medal in men’s kayak event. Yannic Lemmen from Germany picked up bronze medal. “I still cannot believe it, but it’s great! To win at home is really something nice. Whenever Nejc starts the last you can be afraid. We needed to wait quite a long time between qualification run and finals, but we had a good preparation,” said the winner Vid Debeljak.
Tony Debray celebrated a double win in C1 and C2 events. He was the best in men’s C1 final finishing ahead of his C2 partner Louis Lapointe and Czech canoeist Vladimir Slanina. Debray and Lapointe were the fastest in C2. Santamaria and Dazeur from France and Slovak Olympic champions Pavol and Peter Hochschorner joined them on the podium.
In women’s kayak final German Jill-Sophie Eckert took the win ahead of Melanie Matyhs from Switzerland and French representative Charlene Le Corvaisier. Anežka Paloudova, Martina Satkova (both CZE) and Cecilia Panato (ITA) were the fastest in women’s C1 final. In women’s C2 event there were only two crews on the start. Pauline Freslon – Lisa Lebouc from France crossed the finish line with faster time than Georgina Collin – Wilson Madison from Australia.
A day before the sprint events the classic race was organised on Sava River in Hrastnik, home town of reigning K1M canoe slalom European champion, former double world champion and Olympic Games silver medallist Peter Kauzer.
World Champion Martina Satkova from Czech Republic won in women’s K1 classic race and picked up bronze medal in women’s canoe event. Anežka Paloudova (CZE) and Melanie Mathys (SUI) joined her on the winner’s podium in kayak event. In women’s canoe race Cecilia Panato from Italy and Anežka Paloudova crossed the finish line faster than Satkova.
Louis Lapointe won two gold medals at the third world cup event of the season. In men’s canoe he produced the fastest time to finish the race ahead of Czech paddler Ondrej Rolenc and Slovenian Blaž Cof. In C2 Debray and Lapointe finished the race ahead of Stephane Santamaria and Quentin Dazeur (all France) and Czech duo Antonin Haleš – Ondrej Rolenc.
In the most anticipated event of the classic race reigning world champion in men’s kayak classic race Simon Oven won at the home course on Sava River. Experienced Austrian kayaker Gerhard Schmid finished the race in second place and Maxence Barouh from France was third.
Special guests of Slovenian organisers were Albert Woods OBE, president of the European Canoe Association and ICF Board of Directors and Executive Comittee member, and Branko Lovrić, ECA Secretary General.
Slovenian and French paddlers dominated the four world cup races, taking the top positions in overall standings. Slovenian kayakers took all the top positions. Simon Oven defended overall world cup winner title from last year, Anže Urankar finished the series in second place and Vide Debeljak in third place. All three top positions in Canadian doubles went to France. Debray and Lapointe were the winners, Santamaria and Dazeur were second and Ydoux and Sateur were third. In men’s C1 category Louis Lapointe (FRA) took the overall win ahead of Blaž Cof (SLO) and another French Tony Debray. In women’s kayak event Melanie Mathys (SUI) won in front of Anežka Paloudova (CZE) and Mathilde Rosa (ITA). Young Italian canoeist Cecilia Panato received a trophy for the best in women’s canoe of the world cup series. Anežka Paloudova (CZE) was second in the overall standings and Katarina Kopunova (SVK) third.
The Wildwater Canoeing season has not finished yet, however. In August we will see the 2018 ECA Junior and U23 Wildwater Canoeing European Championships in Skopje, two senior Wildwater Canoeing ECA European Sprint Cups in Czech Republic, and five ECA European Wildwater Junior Cups also in Czech Republic.
RESULTS
INDIVIDUAL CLASSIC RACE
K1W
1. Martina Satkova CZE
2. Anežka Paloudova CZE
3. Melanie Mathys SUI
C1M
1. Louis Lapointe FRA
2. Ondrej Rolenc CZE
3. Blaž Cof SLO
K1M
1. Simon Oven SLO
2. Gerhard Schmid AUT
3. Maxence Barouh FRA
C1W
1. Cecilia Panato ITA
2. Anežka Paloudova CZE
3. Martina Satkova CZE
C2M
1. Tony Debray - Louis Lapointe FRA
2. Stephane Santamaria – Quentin Dazeur FRA
3. Antonin Haleš – Ondrej Rolenc CZE
C2W
1. Pauline Freslon – Lisa Lebouc FRA
INDIVIDUAL SPRINT RACE
K1W
1. Jill-Sophie Eckert GER
2. Melanie Mathys SUI
3. Charlene Le Corvaisier FRA
C1M
1. Tony Debray FRA
2. Louis Lapointe FRA
3. Vladimir Slanina CZE
K1M
1. Vid Debeljak SLO
2. Nejc Žnidarčič SLO
3. Yannic Lemmen GER
C1W
1. Anežka Paloudova CZE
2. Martina Satkova CZE
3. Cecilia Panato ITA
C2M
1. Tony Debray – Louis Lapointe FRA
2. Stephane Santamaria – Quentin Dazeur FRA
3. Pavol Hochschorner – Peter Hochschorner SVK
C2W
1. Pauline Freslon – Lisa Lebouc FRA
2. Georgina Collin – Wilson Madison AUS
2018 OVERALL WORLD CUP STANDINGS
K1M
1. Simon Oven SLO
2. Anže Urankar SLO
3. Vid Debeljak SLO
K1W
1. Melanie Matyhs SUI
2. Anežka Paloudova CZE
3. Mathilde Rosa ITA
C1M
1. Louis Lapointe FRA
2. Blaž Cof SLO
3. Tony Debray FRA
C1W
1. Cecilia Panato ITA
2. Anežka Paloudova CZE
3. Katarina Kopunova SVK
C2M
1. Tony Debray – Louis Lapointe FRA
2. Stephane Santamaria – Quentin Dauzeur FRA
3. Tom Ydouc – Nicolas Sauteur FRA
Photos: Nina Jelenc
17.6.2018
