Switzerland has lay claim to be one of the world’s leading extreme canoe slalom nations with two gold medals and a silver medal on the final day of the 2021 ICF junior and U23 canoe slalom world championships in Slovenia.

There were also gold medals for Great Britain and the United States, with the Czech Republic finishing the week as the most successful nation.

Dmitri Marx won his second men’s U23 extreme slalom gold, adding the 2021 title to the crown he won in Italy in 2018.

“It’s working well for me,” Marx said.

“After the slalom I was quite disappointed not to make the finals, so this was good for me.

“I think the Swiss have a bit of a different background to most other slalom paddlers, we all start as freestyle or whitewater paddling, and then later move to slalom.”

It was a Swiss quinella, with teammate Jan Rohrer winning silver, with Poland’s Jakub Brzezinski taking the bronze.

Switzerland also won a gold in the women’s junior extreme slalom final, with Jessica Duc taking advantage of a collision between the leading two paddlers, Russia’s Marina Novysh and Czech Tereza Kneblova, to squeeze through from third into first place.

“I was surprised to be first, I was just happy to be in the final, so to be first was incredible,” Duc said.

“I saw I got a chance to get in front, and I was very shocked to get there. This is my first world championships, but I wasn’t too worried. I have to train hard if I want a chance to progress more.”

Novysh finished second, with Kneblova taking the bronze.

Great Britain’s Nikita Setchell had never competed in an extreme slalom race before this weekend, but showed she is a quick learner with a clever win in the women’s U23 final.

“This was my first time, so it’s good to come away with this memory,” Setchell said.

“I had a few tips from some of the experts back home, so that helped me to get through. Your heart really races at the start, which is the nervous bit.

“It’s such good fun and a great spectator sport. It will be exciting in Paris.”

Setchell finished ahead of the highly regarded Czech pair of Martina Satkova and Antonie Galuskova.

The last time American Kaelin Friedenson competed in an international extreme slalom race he lost his paddle and had to complete the course using his arms. There were no similar mistakes on Sunday, with the teenager capping off an impressive day of racing with gold in the juniors.

“It helps a lot to keep hold of your paddle,” Friedenson said.

“I’m so excited to win, I can’t believe it. I’m definitely not the strongest paddler, but I still like attacking it.

“It’s such fun. I do a lot of plastic boating outside of slalom, and this is a great way to bring that into this event.”

Czech Martin Rudorfer picked up the silver, with New Zealand’s George Snook the bronze.

The Czech Republic finished the week as the most successful nation, with 395 points in the ICF Nations Cup. France finished second on 368 points, with Slovakia on 230.

RESULTS – EXTREME CANOE SLALOM

U23 MEN

1. MARX Dimitri        (SUI)
2. ROHRER Jan           (SUI)
3. BRZEZINSKI Jakub (POL)

JUNIOR MEN

1. FRIEDENSON Kaelin   (USA)
2. RUDORFER Martin     (CZE)
3. SNOOK George           (NZL)

U23 WOMEN

1. SETCHELL Nikita         (GBR)
2. SATKOVA Martina      (CZE)
3. GALUSKOVA Antonie (CZE)

JUNIOR WOMEN

1. DUC Jessica             (SUI)
2. NOVYSH Marina    (RUS)
3. KNEBLOVA Tereza (CZE)

Source: ICF

Zadnji dan svetovnega prvenstva v slalomu na divjih vodah za mladince in mlajše člane v Tacnu smo spremljali tekmovanja v ekstremnem slalomu na divjih vodah. V ognju je bilo kar nekaj slovenskih želez, ki pa so v najmlajši kajakaški disciplini obstala pred polfinalno fazo tekmovanja.

V preizkušnji, ki bo leta 2024 na sporedu olimpijskih iger v Parizu in zahteva veliko iznajdljivosti, pomembna pa je tudi sreča, so najdlje prišli kajakašica Naja Pinterič ter kajakaša Tine Kancler in Jakob Šavli.

Naja Pinterič je v konkurenci mladink izpadla v četrtfinalu, kjer se ji je napredovanje v polfinale izmuznilo za eno mesto. Pred njo sta bili namreč uvrščeni Čehinja Tereza Kneblova in Rusinja Marina Noviš. V isti konkurenci sta Ema Lampič in Sara Globokar obstali v osmini finala, saj sta v svojih skupinah zasedli tretji mesti. Svetovna mladinska prvakinja je postala Švicarka Jessica Duc, druga je bila Rusinja Marina Noviš, tretja pa Tereza Kneblova.

V četrtfinalu kajakašev mladincev smo pesti stiskali za Jakoba Šavlija, ki pa je bil v svoji skupini četrti in tako obstal v tej fazi tekmovanja. V izločilnih bojih je nastopil tudi Tit Šenk, a je obtičal v osmini finala. Naslov svetovnega mladinskega prvaka si je priboril Američan Kaelin Friedenson, drugi jebil Čeh Martin Rudorfer, tretji pa Novozelandec George Snook.

Do četrtfinala je prišel še Tine Kancler, ki se je boril v konkurenci kajakašev do 23 let. V prvi četrtfinalni skupini je bil četrti, napredovala pa sta Rus Andrei Pospelov in Francoz Malo Quemeneur. V isti starostni skupini je v osmini finala veslal Marko Petek, a s tretjim časom ni uspel priti do naslednje faze, saj napredujeta le najhitrejša dva tekmovalca. Svetovni prvak med mlajšimi člani je postal Švicar Dimitri Marx, ki je letos imel kolajno v ekstremnem slalomu tudi na članskem EP, drugi je bil njegov rojak Jan Roherer, tretji pa Poljak Jakub Brzezinski.  

V osmini finala pa sta se poslovili tudi mlajši članici Lea Novak in Eva Alina Hočevar. V tej konkurenci je slavila Britanka Nikita Setchell, drugo in tretje mesto pa sta si priborili Čehinji Martina Satkova in Antonie Galuškova.

V kvalifikacijskih vožnjah na čas so slovenske barve branili še Erazem Šavli, Ulan Valant in Martel Stušek, ki pa se niso uvrstili v izločilne boje. Pravila namreč določajo, da ne glede na doseženi kvalifikacijski čas v naslednjo fazo tekmovanja napredujeta le po dva najhitrejša tekmovalca iz posamezne države v določeni kategoriji.

Mladince in mlajše člane avgusta čaka še evropsko prvenstvo v slalomu na divjih vodah, ki bo prav tako organizirano v Sloveniji, in sicer v Solkanu.

Predzadnji dan svetovnega prvenstva v slalomu na divjih vodah za mladince in mlajše člane v Ljubljani, oziroma Tacnu, je za navdušenje v slovenski ekipi in med navijači poskrbel Jan Ločnikar. Celjan je namreč v mladinski konkurenci kajakašev osvojil bronasto kolajno.

Na savskih brzicah so danes slovenski slalomisti osvojili jubilejno 50. kolajno z mladinskih svetovnih prvenstev, sicer četrto ta teden v Tacnu. Glavna vloga je tokrat pripadla kajakašu  celjskega kluba Janu Ločnikarju, ki je v mladinski konkurenci prišel do največjega posamičnega uspeha kariere do sedaj.

Tekmovalec, ki je bil blizu kolajni že lani na evropskem mladinskem prvenstvu v Krakovu, je na domačem svetovnem prvenstvu uspel priti do dveh kolajn. Že uvodni dan tekmovanj je bil skupaj z Urbanom Gajškom in Jakobom Šavlijem svetovni mladinski prvak v ekipni konkurenci, k temu uspehu pa je sedaj dodal še posamičen bron.

Na progi je bil zelo hiter, saj je kljub dotiku uspel priti do kolajne. Tekmovalca, ki sta bila uvrščena pred njim, sta s progo opravila brez dodatnih kazenskih sekund. Svetovni mladinski prvak je postal Francoz Titouan Castryck, srebro pa si je priveslal Čeh Martin Rudorfer.

“Zelo sem vesel, glede na to, da je to moja prva medalja z večjih tekmovanj. Z rezultatom sem zelo zadovoljen. Lepo je domov prinesti dve kolajni. Vožnja ni bila perfektna, veliko bi se dalo izboljšati. Ena vrata sem udaril, kar pomeni, da sem dobil pribitek dveh sekund. Popravil bi lahko tudi linije, da bi čoln bolj tekel, ampak v finalu se lahko vse zgodi,” je povedal Ločnikar.

Tretji je bil že po polfinalu in ko je priveslal v cilj finalne vožnje je pristal na tretjem mestu. Zgoraj sta bila še dva tekmovalca, tako da je slovenski reprezentant nestrpno čakal na končni razplet tekme: “Bilo je kar težko. Res sem bil nervozen.”

Po  velikem uspehu je dodal še: “Dobil sem samozavest, da to lahko naredim in poskušal bom to storiti tudi na evropskem prvenstvu v Solkanu.”

Njegov uspeh je s sedmim mestom v finalu dopolnil Urban Gajšek, visoko pa je bil tudi Jakob Šavli, ki je bil 13.

Med mladinkami je v finalu kajakašic veslala Ula Skok. Hči našega nekdanjega vrhunskega slalomista Janeza Skoka je na domačem terenu v svoji prvi sezoni v mladinski reprezentanci priveslala na deveto mesto. Odlični sta bili tudi Helena Domajnko in Sara Belingar, ki sta bilo 13. in 14. Naslov svetovne mladinske prvakinje si je priveslala Američanka Evy Leibfarth, ki bo iz Ljubljane odpotovala na olimpijske igre v Tokiu. Druga je bila Francozinja Emma Vuitton, tretja pa Slovakinja Zuzana Pankova.

Popoldne so v akcijo stopile še kanuistke in kanuisti do 23 let. V finale se je uvrstila le Eva Alina Hočevar, ki je imela visoke cilje, ki pa so tokrat žal splavali po Savi. Razočaranje ob prihodu v cilj je bilo veliko, čeprav je v svoji prvi sezoni med mlajšimi članicami, kjer tekmujejo tudi dobitnice kolajn s članskih prvenstev, dosegla dober rezultat in osmo mesto. Izven finala je recimo ostala članska evropska prvakinja iz leta 2019 Čehinja Gabriela Satkova. V isti konkurenci je veslala tudi Lea Novak in bila na koncu 24. Svetovna prvakinja med kanuistkami do 23 let je postala Britanka Bethan Forrow, druga je bila Slovakinja Emanuela Luknarova, tretja pa Nemka Elena Apel.

V konkurenci kanuistov med mlajšimi člani so vsi trije slovenski predstavniki obstali v polfinalu. Urh Turnšek je bil 18., Nejc Polenčič 19., Juš Javornik pa 22. Za dvojno francosko slavje sta poskrbela Nicolas Gestin in Jules Bernardet, tretji pa je bil Čeh Vaclav Chaloupka.

V nedeljo se bo svetovno prvenstvo za mladince in mlajše člane zaključilo s tekmami v ekstremnem slalomu na divjih vodah. Novi disciplini, ki pa jo bomo leta 2024 lahko spremljali tudi na olimpijskih igrah v Parizu.

Rezultati: https://www.canoeicf.com/2021-icf-junior-u23-canoe-slalom-world-championships/results

Posnetek vožnje Jana Ločnikarja:

American teenager Evy Leibfarth had a perfect pre-Olympic result, France picked up two gold medals and Great Britain’s Bethan Forrow picked up her country’s first win for the week on the penultimate day of the ICF junior and U23 canoe slalom world championships in Slovenia.

While most of her Olympic competitors have already arrived in Tokyo, 17-year-old Leibfarth opted to stay in Europe to contest the junior world titles. She won bronze in the canoe on Thursday, and then followed it up with a stunning performance to take the K1 gold on Friday.

“This is definitely something I’ve been dreaming of for a really long time, I knew I wanted to come here before the Games because I knew than no matter what happened it would be a really good feeling,” Leibfarth said.

“Junior worlds has always been a pinnacle for me, the junior worlds and the Olympics, and I know that I only get limited chances so I wanted to do the junior worlds while I still could.

“Having this good feeling on the water is going to help me so much in Tokyo mentally. To have the result that I wanted here is mentally so good for me for Tokyo.”

Leibfarth finished more than four seconds ahead of France’s Emma Vuitton, with Slovakia’s Zuzana Pankova third.

Nicolas Gestin had to withstand a strong challenge from countryman Jules Bernardet before retaining his U23 canoe world title. Gestin watched from the finish line as his teammate crossed in the gold medal position, but a video review showed Bernardet had touched a gate and was given a two-second penalty.

“I really wanted to keep this title, because I thought it was a good one in 2019, so to get two titles would be a good step forward,” Gestin said.

“It’s a bit like a home course for me here. I’m not Slovenian, but every time I come here I have good memories. It was my first world cup medal, my first world cup final, so I really wanted to be good here.

“I knew when Jules was in the final that he would be fast. But that’s the game, I’m happy for him because it’s his first world championship medal, and he is so fast so he deserves a medal.”

Czech former U23 world champion Vaclav Chaloupka posted a clean run, but could not match the time of the two Frenchman and had to settle for bronze.

French teenager Titouan Castryck posted a near-perfect run to win the men’s junior kayak title, defeating European junior silver medalist Martin Rudorfer of the Czech Republic, with Slovenia’s Jan Locnikar giving the host nation its only medal of the day.

“It’s my first ever French national team selection, so it’s very nice,” Castryck said.

“I was very nervous before the semi-final, but for the final I was okay. At the bottom of the course I didn’t paddle very well, but I think I did a great job on the rest of the course. For my first ever world championships it was very nice.”

Great Britain’s Bethan Forrow caught the attention of the paddling world when she made the final of the ICF senior world championships in Brazil in 2018, and on Friday showed that performance was no fluke with a determined win in the women’s U23.

Forrow picked up an early penalty, but said she knew she could make up the time before the finish.

“I told myself to keep calm, I knew that there was a lot of time to be made up at the bottom of the course, I just fought right through to the end,” Forrow said.

“It’s been amazing getting back on the start line. With Covid it’s been two years since we’ve been on the international start line, so I think the whole team was eager to get back out here.

“I’m speechless. It’s been a crazy weekend, and the girls have not made it easy at all. I’ve absolutely loved paddling in Tacen.”

Slovakia’s Emanuela Luknarova won silver, while Germany’s Elena Apel took home the bronze medal.

The 2021 ICF junior and U23 world championships will conclude on Sunday with extreme slalom competition for men and women.

RESULTS

WOMEN’S JUNIOR K1

1. LEIBFARTH Evy  (USA)   93.52 (0 seconds of penalties)
2. VUITTON Emma   (FRA)  98.23 (2)
3. PANKOVA Zuzana  (SVK) 98.97 (2)

MEN’S JUNIOR K1

1. CASTRYCK Titouan (FRA)  85.01 (0)
2. RUDORFER Martin  (CZE)   85.82 (0)
3. LOCNIKAR Jan  (SLO)         88.85  (0)

WOMEN’S U23 C1

1. FORROW Bethan            (GBR) 100.62 (2)
2. LUKNAROVA Emanuela (SVK) 101.43 (0)
3. APEL Elena                      (GER) 101.60 (0)

MEN’S U23 C1

1. GESTIN Nicolas       (FRA)   86.27 (0)
2. BERNARDET Jules  (FRA)   87.39 (2)
3. CHALOUPKA Vaclav (CZE) 88.83 (0)

Source: https://www.canoeicf.com/news/leibfarth-sends-out-pre-olympics-warning

A 21-year-old Frenchwoman competing at her first world championships and two Czech sisters stole the show on day four of the ICF junior and U23 canoe slalom world championships in Slovenia on Friday.

Coline Charel shocked even herself by winning gold in the women’s U23 canoe slalom kayak final, Klara and Tereza Kneblova finished first and second in the junior women’s canoe final, while another Czech, Jakub Krejci, won gold in the men’s U23 kayak final.

The final gold on offer on Friday went to Italian Martino Barzon in the men’s junior canoe final.

The Kneblova sisters became the first siblings in the history of international canoe slalom to win a gold and silver medal, when they finished one and two in the junior canoe final.

16-year-old Klara said it was one of the first times she had ever finished ahead of her 18-year-old sister. She was the last paddler on the course, and was unaware it was her sister’s time she would need to beat to take the gold.

“I didn’t know that until I got to the finish line and saw, it was amazing,” Klara Kneblova said.

“She said to me ‘oh my God, we did it, can you believe it?’ We have a good relationship. I have never been better than her on water, so this maybe the first time. It’s amazing.”

Bronze went to American Evy Leibfarth, in her final race before the Olympics. Leibfarth picked up six seconds in penalties, which dropped her from first to the bronze medal position.

Coline Charel was the slowest qualifier into the women’s kayak final, but went into the race knowing she had already recorded her best ever result.

She wasn’t confident of winning a medal after picking up four seconds in penalties, but then watched on as the remainder of the field struggled to tame the difficult course.

“I don’t believe it, it’s amazing at my first world championships,” Charel said.

“On the finish line I didn’t think I could do it, I thought other runners would be better. I went in knowing I had nothing to lose, everything to win.”

Charel finished just 0.14 seconds ahead of French teammate, Romane Prigent, with American teenager Ria Sribar winning her first international medal by finishing third.

Many of the more highly rated paddlers failed to make the final of the men’s U23 K1, throwing the race wide open. But the performance of Czech Krejci, paddling in his first U23 world titles after winning silver at a junior level, left the gold medal in no doubt.

He finished 2.36 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Jonny Dickson, with another British paddler, Christopher Bowers, in third.

In the men’s C1 junior final Italy’s Martino Barzon produced one of the most impressive runs of the day, posting a time of 91.92 with a two-second penalty to secure the gold.

Martin Kratochvil and Adam Kral added to the Czech Republic’s medal haul with silver and bronze.

The ICF junior and U23 canoe slalom world championships will continue on Saturday, with semi finals and finals in the men’s and women’s U23 canoe and the junior kayak.

RESULTS

WOMEN’S U23 K1

1. CHAREL Coline       (FRA)   99.10 (4 seconds of penalties)
2. PRIGENT Romane  (FRA)   99.24 (2)
3. SRIBAR Ria               (USA)  99.42 (0)

MEN’S U23 K1

1. KREJCI Jakub                (CZE)  81.89 (0)
2. DICKSON Jonny           (GBR) 84.25 (0)
3. BOWERS Christopher (GBR) 84.55 (0)

WOMEN’S JUNIOR C1

1. KNEBLOVA Klara      (CZE)   101.59 (0)
2. KNEBLOVA Tereza   (CZE)   102.18 (0)
3. LEIBFARTH Evy         (USA)  107.10 (6)

MEN’S JUNIOR C1

1. BARZON Martino      (ITA)   91.92   (2)
2. KRATOCHVIL Martin (CZE)  92.19   (0)
3. KRAL Adam                 (CZE)  93.78   (2)

Source: ICF

Na savskih brzicah smo danes spremljali prve končne odločitve v posamičnih tekmah. V štirih kategorijah, ki so bile danes na sporedu, smo imeli tri finaliste, najboljši slovenski rezultat dneva pa je s petim mestom med kajakaši do 23 let postavil Tine Kancler.

Primorski kajakaš Tine Kancler se je kot zadnji kajakaš do 23 let uvrstil iz polfinala v boj za kolajne, saj je po polfinalu zasedal deseto mesto. V drugo je na koncu osvojil peto mesto, čeprav je imel kar dva dotika. V primeru ‘čiste’ vožnje bi se danes lahko veselil kolajne na domačem svetovnem prvenstvu, in sicer srebrne. Za zmagovalcem je namreč zaostal za pet sekund in 43 stotink, vsi štirje tekmovalci, ki so bili uvrščeni pred njim pa so s progo opravili brez dotikov.

Enkratno polfinalno vožnjo je prikazal kajakaš ljubljanskega kluba Ulan Valant, ki je bil v prvem današnjem nastopu nerešljiva uganka za vse tekmece. V finalu je nato šel na vse ali nič, a na progi dobil 52 kazenskih sekund, tako da je bil deseti.

V polfinalu je obstal celjski kajakaš Lan Tominc, ki je na koncu zasedel 22. mesto.

Naslova svetovnega prvaka med kajakaši do 23 let se je veselil Čeh Jakub Krejči, drugo in tretje mesto pa sta si prveslala Britanca Jonny Dickinson in Christopher Bowers.

V finalu kajakašic do 23 let smo imeli eno predstavnico. Eva Alina Hočevar je ciljala na vrh finala, a v desetih vratih odpeljala ‘na glavo’, kar je bilo precej tvegano. Žal se ji ni izšlo, saj je prejela 50 kazenskih sekund, ki so jo oddaljile od zmagovalnega odra. Bila je deseta. V polfinalu je veslala tudi Zala Zanoškar in osvojila 21. rezultat domačega svetovnega prvenstva.

Za dvojno francosko zmago sta poskrbeli Coline Charel, ki je nastopila na svojem prvem svetovnem prvenstvu, in Romane Prigent, sicer zmagovalka lanskega svetovnega pokala tu v Tacnu. Bronaste kolajne smo se lahko veselili tudi Slovenci, saj si je tretje mesto priveslala Ria Šribar, ameriška kajakašica slovenskih korenin. Mlada Američanka se v Ljubljani počuti že kot doma, nenazadnje se tu letos mudi že vse od januarja.  

Popoldne so sledile še polfinalne in finalne preizkušnje kanuistk in kanuistov v mladinski konkurenci. V ognju smo imeli šest želez, a so tokrat vsi žal ostali pred vrati finala. Najbližje je bil kanuist Martin Gale, ki je bil dvanajsti, od najboljše deseterice pa sta ga ločili dve sekundi. Na progi je sicer pridobil štiri kazenske sekunde, ki so se nato izkazale za usodne. Adam Križaj je v isti konkurenci priveslal na 15. mesto, Tit Šenk pa je bil 22. Svetovni mladinski prvak je postal Italijan Martino Barzon, drugo in tretje mesto pa sta si priborila Čeha Martin Kratochvil in Adam Kral.

Med kanuistkami mladinkami je Naja Pinterič osvojila 17. mesto, Ema Lampič je bila 23., Asja Jug pa 25. Za češko zmagoslavje sta poskrbeli sestri Klara in Tereza Kneblova. Prvakinja je postala 16-letna Klara, ki je svojo starejšo sestro na vodi tokrat premagala prvič. Tretja je bila Američanka Evy Leibfarth, ki po SP v Tacnu potuje na Japonsko, kjer bo nastopila na svojih prvih olimpijskih igrah.

V soboto se prvenstvo nadaljuje s polfinalnimi in finalnimi tekmami kajakašic in kajakašev v mladinski konkurenci ter med kanuistkami in kanuisti v kategoriji do 23 let.

V Tacnu so se danes odvile še zadnje kvalifikacijske vožnje svetovnega prvenstva v slalomu na divjih vodah za mladince in mlajše člane. Na delu so bile kajakašice in kajakaši v mladinski konkurenci ter kanuistke v obeh starostnih kategorijah. Slovenska ekipa je bila uspešna.

Za najboljši slovenski rezultat današnjega dne je poskrbel kajakaš Urban Gajšek, ki je v konkurenci mladincev dosegel drugi rezultat kvalifikacij. Član kajakaškega kluba Soške elektrarne je zaostal le za francoskim tekmecem Titouanom Castryckom, in sicer za 1,27 sekunde. Na tretje mesto je priveslal Kanadčan Alex Baldoni. S prvim nastopom sta uspešno v polfinale napredovala tudi Jan Ločnikar, ki je bil enajsti, in Jakob Šavli kot 27. V tej kategoriji smo bili priča zgodovinskemu dogodku, saj je sploh prvič na slalomski tekmi najvišjega nivoja nastopil predstavnik Jamajke. V zgodovino se je zapisal v Britaniji živeči Solomon Maragh.

Dopoldne so se na Savo podale tudi kajakašice v mladinski konkurenci. Na prvem mestu je kvalifikacije končala Slovakinja Ivana Chlebova. Hitrejša od nje je sicer bila Francozinja Emma Vuitton, a je naredila dotik, tako da je bila na koncu druga, tretji čas kvalifikacij pa je imela Slovakinja Zuzana Pankova. Slovenski predstavnici Helena Domajnko in Sara Belingar sta napredovali po prvem nastopu, in sicer z 12. oziroma 19. rezultatom, Ula Skok pa je morala na progo še enkrat. Na domačih brzicah je bila v drugi vožnji druga in se tudi ona uvrstila v polfinale.

Popoldne so v akcijo stopile še kanuistke. Eva Alina Hočevar je v konkurenci do 23 let zasedla osmo mesto, Lea Novak pa je bila 14. Med mlajšimi članicami je veslala tudi Sara Globokar, ki je sicer še mladinka, a je dobila priložnost nasropiti na domačem svetovnem prvenstvu. Žal se ji ni izšlo za polfinale. V drugi vožnji je bila enajsta in tako za eno mesto ostala brez naslednje faze tekmovanja. Najhitrejša kanuistka med mlajšimi članicami je bila Slovakinja Simona Glejtekova, druga je bila Čehinja Gabriela Satkova, tretja pa Slovakinja Emanuela Luknarova.

V mladinski konkurenci kanuistk so bile uspešne vse tri slovenske predstavnice. Naja Pinterič je napredovala po prvem nastopu, z enajstim časom kvalifikacij, Asja Jug pa kot 20. V drugo je šla na progo še enkrat Ema Lampič, najmlajša članica slovenske ekipe, in se tudi ona s četrtim časom uvrstila v naslednjo fazo tekmovanja.

V petek bomo spremljali prve posamične polfinalne in finalne tekme. Za naslove svetovnih prvakov se bodo potegovale kajakašice in kajakaši do 23 let ter mladinci in mladinke v kanuju.

Jamaica made canoe slalom history, Slovakia qualified two athletes fastest and France and the Czech Republic continued their solid week with strong performances on the third day of the ICF junior and U23 canoe slalom world championships in Slovenia on Thursday.

When 16-year-old Solomon Maragh took to the water in the first heat of the junior K1 competition he officially became the first ever Jamaican athlete to compete at an International Canoe Federation event.

He did not qualify for the semi-finals, but was happy with his two runs, and happy to have made history for his country.

“I feel really proud to have represented my country, and I’ve done the best that I can do for a developing nation,” Maragh said.

“I feel very proud, and feel I have the responsibility now to set the standard for other Jamaican athletes within canoe slalom when opportunities come along.”

The fastest qualifier in the men’s K1 juniors was Frenchman Titouan Castryck, more than one second ahead of Slovenia’s Urban Gajsek.

Slovakia did send two other athletes through to the semi-finals as fastest qualifiers – Ivana Chlebova in the junior K1, and Simona Glejtekova in the U23 C1.

Chlebova, who also qualified third fastest in the C1, is in her final year of competition as a junior, and celebrated by posting an error-free fastest time in the K1 qualifiers.

“I didn’t feel under any pressure, and just went with the waves,” Chlebova said.

“It’s my last year in the junior category, so I’ve told myself to really push it and we will see how it goes.”

Teammate Glejtekova put together one of the most impressive runs of the day, qualifying fastest by more than one second in the women’s U23 C1 qualifiers.

Spain’s Klara Olazabal, who just missed Tokyo Olympic qualification, went into Thursday as the number one athlete and safely progressed through in 12^th place.

“It was enough for the semi-final, so I am happy with that, but I had some trouble at the beginning, I didn’t have a good line so I struggled,” Olazabal said.

“This is an emotional week because it is my last year in U23, so whatever is the result I will be happy with this experience. I am trying to make the most of it.

“I have never been bib number one, so that was kind of a shock but a good surprise.”

Czech Tereza Kneblova was the fastest in the women’s junior C1 qualifiers, finishing more than one second ahead of Slovakia’s Zuzana Pankova.

American Evy Leibfarth, who will head from Slovenia to Tokyo to make her Olympic debut, qualified sixth fastest in the morning’s junior K1, and fourth fastest in the C1 in the afternoon.

Friday will see semi-finals and finals in the men’s and women’s U23 kayak and the men’s and women’s junior canoe.

Source: https://www.canoeicf.com/news/jamaica-make-history-slalom-championships

Po treh kolajnah v torkovih ekipnih tekmah svetovnega prvenstva za mladince in mlajše člane v Tacnu se je tudi drugi tekmovalni dan za slovensko ekipo razpletel ugodno. Izmed dvanajstih kvalifikantov jih je v polfinale napredovala enajsterica. Kanuista Martin Gale in Urh Turnšek sta v mladinski konkurenci oziroma med mlajšimi člani zasedla peti mesti.

Martin Gale in Urh Turnšek sta prvi dan posamičnih kvalifikacij SP v Tacnu dosegla najvišji slovenski uvrstitvi. Med mladinci je bil Martin Gale zelo hiter na progi, a je hkrati dobil dva pribitka, ki sta mu prinesla štiri kazenske sekunde. Na koncu je bil tri sekunde in pol počasnješi od zmagovalca kvalifikacij, Francoza Tanguyja Adissona. To je zadostovalo za peto mesto. Tudi na drugem mestu je kvalifikacije končal Francoz, in sicer Mewen Debliquy, tretji pa je bil Nemec Benjamin Kies. S prvim kvalifikacijskim nastopom se je v polfinale prebil tudi Adam Križaj, ki je bil 19. Tit Šenk je šel na progo še v drugo, bil tam deseti in si tudi on priveslal napredovanje v naslednjo fazo tekmovanja.

V konkurenci kanuistov do 23 let je bil danes najboljši slovenski predstavnik Urh Turnšek. Kanuist celjskega kluba je s progo opravil brez kazenskih sekund in bil peti s slabima dvema sekundama in pol zaostanka za zmagovalcem Miquelom Travejem iz Španije. Drugi je bil Slovak Marko Mirgorodsky, tretji pa Francoz Nicolas Gestin. Tako kot Turnšek sta se s prvo vožnjo v polfinale uvrstila še Nejc Polenčič kot enajsti in Juš Javornik, ki je zasedel 15. mesto.

V dopoldanskem delu sporeda so tekmovale kajakašice in kajakaši do 23 let. V konkurenci kajakašic je bila Eva Alina Hočevar 12. in se tako kot edina Slovenka v nadaljevanje uvrstila že po prvem nastopu. Tako Lea Novak kot Zala Zanoškar sta na progo morali namreč še drugič. Zala Zanoškar je bila uspešnejša, saj je v drugi vožnji dosegla deveti čas in tako ujela polfinale. Brez slednjega pa je ostala Lea Novak, ki je v drugi vožnji prejela 54 kazenskih sekund, kar ji je onemogočilo boj za napredovanje v naslednjo fazo prvenstva. Najhitrejša je bila Francozinja Romane Prigent, druga je bila Čehinja Lucie Nesnidalova, tretja pa Nemka Elena Apel.

V polfinalu bomo videli tudi vse tri slovenske predstavnike med kajakaši do 23 let. V kvalifikacijah je bil tokrat najvišje Lan Tominc, in sicer 23. Tine Kancler je kot 30. ujel še zadnjo vozovnico za polfinale po prvi vožnji, Ulan Valant pa je napredoval s četrtim časom drugega nastopa. Tudi tu je bil najboljši Francoz. Anatole Delassus je tekmo končal pred Američanom Josephom Joshuo in Špancem Miquelejem Travejem.

V četrtek so na vrsti še kvalifikacije kajakašic in kajakašev v mladinski konkurenci ter kanuistk v obeh starotnih kategorijah.

French paddlers Romane Prigent, Anatole Delassus and Tanguy Addison firmed in favouritism to win gold at the 2021 ICF junior and U23 canoe slalom world championships with impressive heat runs in hot conditions in Slovenia on Wednesday.

Spain’s Miquel Trave was the only athlete to stand between France and a clean sweep of the qualifiers, posting the quickest time in the men’s U23 canoe slalom.

Thirty years after his father won world championship gold on the same Tacen course, 18-year-old Frenchman Tanguy Addison qualified fastest in the men’s junior C1 heats.

“Before the run I felt a little bit stressed, but during the run it felt so good, so clean,” Addison said.

“I think I can go faster. My father is watching in the tribune, it’s so good to be racing here at the same place where he won 30 years ago.”

Prigent said Tacen was fast becoming her favourite canoe slalom course. On Tuesday she was part of the victorious French K1 U23 team, which followed her world cup gold in Ljubljana last year.

“It’s a short run here in Tacen, but I did a clean run, with maybe a couple of small mistakes, but I think it was a good one,” Prigent said.

“I love this course, I love the way we can paddle with the water, I think it’s really nice. The course is even nicer with the drop now.

“I think its good for teams to win a medal at the start, because it shows everyone we are here and we can win gold medals.”

Anatole Delassus won the K1 junior world title in Krakow in 2019, and showed he is ready to take on the older paddlers with an error-free run in the U23 qualifiers.

“I felt good on the water, my run was very good, but I hope I’ve kept my best run for Friday,” Delassus said.

“I feel excited and very motivated for these championships. It’s been hard, but the French Federation have organised a lot of training, so I feel good.”

Miquel Trave is one of only a handful of male paddlers in the world who competes in both the K1 and the C1. On Wednesday he comfortably qualified for the semi-finals in the U23 K1 in the morning, and then set the fastest time in the C1 in the afternoon.

“I felt really good in the water, a bit nervous maybe because it’s been two years without a world championships, so it was good to feel the start line again,” Trave said.

“I don’t feel any pressure, I obviously want to get another world title, so I will fight for it. It’s not easy, there are 10 or 12 people who can win this world championship, so it is time to fight, time to focus on the semi-finals.”

The ICF junior and U23 canoe slalom world championships continue on Thursday, with racing in men’s and women’s junior kayak, and the women’s junior and U23 canoe.

Source: https://www.canoeicf.com/news/flying-french-show-way-slalom-worlds