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The first canoe sprint European Championships under the auspices of the European Canoe Association was held in 1997 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and in the 21 editions that were held since then Hungary and Germany dominated in this sport. Will history repeat itself in Munich 2022 or is there some other country that can top the medals table?

The first canoe sprint and paracanoe competition day of the Munich 2022 European Championships is getting closer and competitors are eager to show their form and to fight for their first ever canoe sprint medals in the multi-sport European Championships.

This August is especially important for kayakers and canoeists as they have just concluded this year's Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Canada. Many winners of the World Championships medals are expected to start in Munich.

Always strong German team wishes to perform well at home and again write history of canoeing. Since the year 1997 and the first ECA Canoe Sprint European Championships German canoe sprint national team won 246 medals, which puts them in the second position at the medal table. Only Hungary managed to win more medals - so far 311 medals from the European Championships.

In the year 2000, when European Championships was held in Poznan, Germany and Hungary topped the medals table together. Both teams won fifteen medals each - five gold, seven silver and three bronze medals at the time. Since then at all but one European Championships one these two countries won first place in the overall medals standings.

Last year's European Championships was no different. Hungary ended the championships with 18 medals, nine of them gold, seven silver and two bronze medals. Sandor Totka (MK1 200m), Balint Kopasz (MK1 500m, MK 1000m), Balint Noe (MK1 5000m), Alida Dora Gazso (WK1 1000m), Dora Bodonyi (WK1 5000m), Danuta Kozak - Dora Bodonyi (WK2 500m), Tamara Csipes - Erika Medveczky (WK2 1000m) and Hungarian women's K4 500m crew were crowned European Champions last year in Poznan.

Germany finished second in the 2021 European Championships overall standings, ending the competition with a total of ten medals - four golds, three silvers and three bronze medals. Sebastian Brendel (MC1 5000m), Sebastian Brendel - Tim Hecker (MC2 1000m), Max Hoff - Jacob Schopf (MK2 1000m) and German men's K4 500m crew listened to German anthem playing in their honour.

Both Hungary and Germany competed well in Canada at World Championships. Germany won 14 medals in total (two gold, seven silver, five bronze medals), the highest number of all participating nations. Hungary concluded the first peak of the season with a total of eleven medals (four golds, one silver, 6 bronze medals). But it was Spain this time that concluded the World Championships at the top of medal table. They won eight medals, but four golds, two silvers and two bronze medals brought them the highest position.

Will these three countries excel at the European Championships too? Come to Munich and see it in person.

Save the date: 18 - 21 August 2022

Get your tickets: https://www.munich2022.com/en/tickets

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