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The 2022 ECA Junior and U23 Wildwater Canoeing European Championships in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, kicked off with sprint heats. Young athletes from the traditionally strongest teams from Czech Republic and France proved they will be the ones to watch in Friday's finals.

In the morning part of the programme the athletes in junior age group fought for the places in Friday's individual sprint finals. Young athletes from Czech Republic, France and Italy took the top positions in five junior events.

 

Maya Bagnato produced the best time in women's junior K1 heats, finishing the first competition day almost one second ahead of Kristina Novosadova from Czech Republic. Nora Liz Zeder from Switzerland was third.

 

In men's junior C1 heats the first favourite of the event Matej Vanek from Czech Republic concluded the day in first position and safely advanced to the final already after the first heats run. Martin Gale from Slovenia was second and Jaromir Ivanecky from Slovakia third.

 

French kayakers Loig Massot and Dimitri Tostain finished in first and second position in men's kayak junior heats, while Aaron Schmitter from Switzerland produced the third best time of the day in this event.

 

Anna Retkova and Simona Bundova, both from Czech Republic, were first and second respectively in women's junior canoe heats. French representative Melody Gireaud was third.

 

Rasner - Vanek, Nemec - Vesely and Ondrich - Vejnar, all from Czech Republic, were the fastest three crews of men's junior C2 heats.

 

In the afternoon, more experienced paddlers followed in the U23 age group heats. Christina Massini from Germany, Ana Šteblaj from Slovenia and Marie Nemcova from Czech Republic produced the fastest times in women's U23 kayak heats, which enabled them the direct path to the final.

 

21-year-old French canoeist, who already has medals from Senior championships, Charless Ferrion won in men's U23 canoe heats, almost two seconds ahead of his teammate Matteo Zanni. Jonah Muller from Switzerland was third.

 

In men's kayak U23 Vojtech Matejicek (CZE) set the fastest time in the heats. Bosnian favourite Dusan Mackic took advantage of his home course and finished second, while German Marcel Blum produced the third time of the day in this event.

 

Tereza Kneblova from Czech Republic and Cecilia Panato from Italy, the first favourites for the European Champion title in this event, were first and second respectively in the heats, while French canoeist Laura Fontaine finished third.

 

Two French crews - Roussin/Roussin and Combe/Monjanel were on the top of men's C2 U23 heats, and Slovenian Gale/Gradišek were third.

 

In women's C2 heats in the U23 age group, Italian Panato sisters - Cecilia and Alice - won in the heats ahead of Swiss crew Mueller/Clavadetscher and French duo Fontaine/Beziat.

 

On Friday morning, the 2022 ECA Junior and U23 Wildwater Canoeing European Championships continues with individual wildwater sprint finals, and in the afternoon wildwater team sprint races are on the programme.

 

RESULTS: http://www.timing-mojstrana.com/25-28-8-2022-banja-luka-eca-junior-u23-wildwater-canoeing-european-championships/

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