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The second day of racing in Ljubljana – Slovenia, on a venue which will host the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships between 15^th and 19^th May, brought exciting finals. There were more than 230 athletes from 19 countries on the start line of the competition.

 

Young Slovenian paddlers showed their skills on a home course and won ahead of more experienced athletes. The win in men’s canoe final went to the hands of 16-year-old Žiga Lin Hočevar, while 21-year-old Lan Tominc won in men’s kayak event.

 

Slovenian kayaker Lan Tominc, the 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion, produced the best run in men’s kayak final, finishing the race 0.50 seconds ahead of the best Italian kayaker Giovanni de Gennaro. Tine Kancler (SLO) was third.

 

Tominc, who set the fastest time already in heat’s run was happy with his performance, “I am very happy with the three runs I showed over the weekend. The boat runs smoothly, I am in good form, so I am satisfied.”

 

One of the highlights of the race was men’s canoe final, where the elite of the sport took part in. At the end, the winner was 16-year-old Slovenian Žiga Lin Hočevar, for whom this is the first win among the seniors at the highest level of international competitions. The 2023 Junior World Champion in canoe won ahead of 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medallist Matej Beňuš from Slovakia, while Luka Božič the world number one in the ICF World Ranking won bronze medal. The reigning Olympic Champion Benjamin Savšek (SLO) finished sixth at his home course.

 

“Unbelievable! This is my first win on a professional or better said senior level competition. I knew who was still up on the start, but I also knew that I had a penalty free run. It was again windy today, some of the gates were a bit low. When I reached the finish and saw I had a good run, I knew there is a chance for a win, but there were still Benjamin Savšek, Luka Božič and Raffaello Ivaldi at the top waiting to start,” said Hočevar.

 

Elena Borghi took the win for Italy in women’s canoe final. Italians, like Slovenians, used this race as one of their selection races, so the motive was very high. Borghi picked up four penalty seconds, but regardless she took the top podium position, finishing 0.28 seconds ahead of Lea Novak (SLO) who also had four penalties. British representative Ellis Miller was third.

 

After the race Borghi said, “This is one of the most difficult courses. I felt good, but when you have two days of racing, on the second day it is really hard mentally and physically. I didn’t feel too good physically, but I managed to keep the focus, so I am happy with my run.”

 

In women’s kayak final, Slovenian Eva Terčelj celebrated a win. The 2019 World Champion was just 0.09 seconds ahead of Corinna Kuhnle. Austrian kayaker won some of her biggest career successes at this course in Ljubljana. In 2010, she was crowned World Champion and in 2011 she won European Champion title here. Lea Novak (SLO), who was second in canoe, secured herself bronze medal in the kayak final.

 

“I am happy to conclude the weekend in such a pleasant way. It was hard to compete, because I am still seeking the right feelings on the course. I am still not in a form I’d like to be in when the season starts. I am very satisfied I managed to produce a run without touches and bigger mistakes. I can build in this,” said Terčelj.