Danes je v okviru sporeda 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia evropskega prvenstva v slalomu na divjih vodah prost dan, saj so morali predvideni program povsem spremeniti in zgostiti zaradi narasle Save. Danes je bil pod vodo del tribun, tekmovanje pa se bo nadaljevalo v soboto in nedeljo, ko se bo okoli 180 tekmovalk in tekmovalcev iz 26 držav pomerilo za naslove evropskih prvakov v slalomu na divjih vodah.

V soboto se bodo na progo podali kajakaši in kajakašice, v nedeljo pa še kanuistke in kanuisti. Slovenske barve bo zastopala močna zasedba s kanuisti Benjaminom Savškom, Luko Božičem in Žigom Linom Hočevarjem, ki bo tekmoval tudi v kajaku. V tej disciplini bosta na startu še Lan Tominc in Peter Kauzer, ki je eden izmed štirih tekmovalcev na letošnjem prvenstvu, ki se bo lahko pohvalil z nastopom na vseh treh prvenstvih stare celine v Ljubljani. Poleg Kauzerja so to še Slovak Michal Martikan, Poljak Dariusz Popiela in Avstrijka Corinna Kuhnle. V ženskem kajaku bodo nastopile Eva Terčelj, Ajda Novak in Eva Alina Hočevar, ki bo tekmovala še v kanuju, kjer bosta veslali še Lea Novak in Alja Kozorog.

V kanuju bosta med glavnimi favoriti za najvišja mesta Luka Božič in Benjamin Savšek, prvo- in drugouvrščeni kanuist svetovne jakostne lestvice, za katera bo nastop na prvenstvu pomemben tudi zaradi internih kvalifikacij za nastop na olimpijskih igrah v Parizu.

»Do tega evropskega prvenstva sem prišel zelo dobro pripravljen. V letošnji sezoni sem naredil korak naprej, upam in delam na tem, da mi bo na tem evropskem prvenstvu na domačih tleh uspel kakšen odmeven rezultat,« je povedal Luka Božič.

Benjamin Savšek je dejal: »Pred domačo publiko si želim dobrega rezultata. Jasno bo pritiska nekaj več, ker je domača tekma. Pred letošnjo sezono sem v dobri formi in to bom poskušal izkoristiti, da prikažem lepe in tekoče vožnje. Ciljam na dober rezultat.«

Najizkušenejši v slovenski vrsti je Peter Kauzer, ki je pohod na svetovni vrh začel prav na domačem evropskem prvenstvu leta 2005, ko je osvojil srebrno kolajno: »Tu se je začel moj preboj med svetovno elito. To je že kar nekaj časa nazaj, nekateri člani ekipe takrat sploh še niso bili rojeni. Vesel in ponosen sem, da sem po toliko velik še vedno zraven, da se še kar borim za najvišja mesta. Vem, česa sem sposoben, Tacen vsi dobro poznamo in na tem EP bom poskušal narediti čim več, da začnem sezono na zelo visokem nivoju.«

V konkurenci kajakašic bo nov vrhunski uspeh lovila tudi Eva Terčelj, ki se že lahko pohvali s posamično kolajno z evropskih prvenstev: »Želim si, da bom našla prave tekmovalne občutke, da bom lahko tekmovala in dala vse od sebe. Da bodo vožnje tekoče in brez kakšnih dotikov, ki so mi na začetku sezone še povzročali težave. Domače tekme se veselim in vse je mogoče.«

Tako v kajaku kot kanuju pa bomo videli Evo Alino Hočevar, ki je na lanskem svetovnem pokalu v Tacnu v kanuju prišla do prve kolajne v tej seriji tekem v karieri: »Cilje imam visoke, saj se mi zdi, da znam v Tacnu dobro veslati. Če ne bom šla preko sebe in bom pokazala vožnje s čim manj napakami, lahko pridem do finala in tudi tam pokažem dobro vožnjo. Najbolj si želim, da se mi ne bi pripetile neumne napake.«

V soboto bodo tekmovale kajakašice in kajakaši, v nedeljo sledijo še kanuistke in kanuisti. Kvalifikacije se bodo tako v soboto kot nedeljo začele ob 10. uri, v soboto bo finale na sporedu ob 14. uri, v nedeljo pa ob 12.35. V soboto se bodo ekipne tekme kajakašic in kajakašev začele ob 16. uri, v nedeljo pa bodo ekipne preizkušnje kanuistk in kanuistov na sporedu ob 15.30.

Zaradi spremembe in zgoščevanja tekmovalnega programa bo nekoliko drugačen tudi format tekme. V slalomskem delu se bodo tekmovalke in tekmovalci namreč pomerili le v eni kvalifikacijski vožnji, v finale vsake izmed kategorij pa bo napredovalo po 12 najhitrejših čolnov kvalifikacijskega nastopa.

Prenos finala in ekipnih tekem si boste lahko ogledali na TV SLO 2, prenos kvalifikacij bo na https://www.youtube.com/CanoeEurope.

Rezultati: https://siwidata.com/canoelive/#/live/eca/2427

Vse o prvenstvu na: https://slalomtacen.com/

SLOVENSKA EKIPA

KAJAK ŽENSKE	KANU ŽENSKE	KAJAK MOŠKI	KANU MOŠKI	KAJAKAŠKI KROS – ŽENSKE	KAJAKAŠKI KROS – MOŠKI
Eva Terčelj	Eva Alina Hočevar	Peter Kauzer	Benjamin Savšek	Eva Terčelj	Tine Kancler
Eva Alina Hočevar	Lea Novak	Lan Tominc	Luka Božič	Eva Alina Hočevar	Jakob Šavli
Ajda Novak	Alja Kozorog	Žiga Lin Hočevar	Žiga Lin Hočevar	Ajda Novak	Peter Kauze

The kayak cross competitions of the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships in Ljubljana – Tacen are over, on Saturday and Sunday we will follow the canoe slalom part of the Championships. There are many candidates to take the medals over the weekend.

Let’s take a look at some of the favourites.

WOMEN’S KAYAK

Stefanie Horn (ITA)

Stefanie Horn (born 9 January 1991 in Bottrop, Germany) is a German-Italian slalom canoeist who competed for Germany from 2006 to 2012. She has represented Italy since 2013.

2022 European Champion in women’s kayak, 2023 European Games bronze medallist in kayak cross, 2013 and 2017 silver medallist at European Championships in women’s kayak.

Camille Prigent (FRA)

Camille Prigent (born 18 December 1997) is a French slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2013.

2014 Youth Olympic Champion, 2018 U23 World Champion in women’s kayak, 2020 European Championships silver medallist in women’s kayak, 2019 and 2022 team European Champion in women’s kayak.

Klaudia Zwolinska (POL)

Klaudia Zwolińska (born 18 December 1998) is a Polish slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2013.

2023 European Games silver medallist in women’s kayak and canoe, 2023 World Championships bronze medallist in women’s kayak.

Eliska Mintalova (SVK)

Eliška Mintálová (born 23 March 1999) is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2016.

2022 European Champion in women’s kayak, 2023 World Championships silver medallist in women’s kayak and 2021 bronze medallist in women’s kayak team event at World Championships.

MEN’S KAYAK

Jiri Prskavec (CZE)

Jiří Prskavec (born 18 May 1993) is a Czech slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2008.

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games gold medallist, 2016 Rio Olympic Games bronze medallist, 2015 and 2019 World Champion, five times European Champion in men’s kayak.

Vit Prindis (CZE)

Vít Přindiš (born 14 April 1989) is a Czech slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2005.

2022 World Champion in men’s kayak, 2017 silver medallist at World Championships, 2019 and 2021 European Champion, 2014 and 2018 European Championships silver medallist.

Joseph Clarke (GBR)

Joseph Clarke, MBE (born 3 November 1992) is a British slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2009, specializing in the K1 (kayak) and KX1 (kayak cross) events.

2016 Rio Olympic Champion, 2023 World Champion in men’s kayak, three times World Champion in kayak cross, 2023 European Games bronze medallist in men’s kayak.

Giovanni De Gennaro (ITA)

Giovanni De Gennaro (born 21 July 1992) is an Italian slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2008.

2022 World Championships silver medallist in men’s kayak, 2021 and 2022 European Championships silver medallist in men’s kayak, 2013 World Championships gold medallist in men’s team kayak event.

WOMEN’S CANOE

Mallory Franklin (GBR)

Mallory Franklin (born 19 June 1994) is a British slalom canoeist who has competed internationally since 2009. She competes in both Kayak (K1/seated double-blade paddle) and Canadian Canoe (C1/kneeling single-blade paddle) classes, as well as the Kayak cross discipline.

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games silver medallist in women’s canoe, 2017 and 2023 World Champion in canoe, 2019 and 2022 European Champion in canoe.

Kimberley Woods (GBR)

Kimberley Woods (born 8 September 1995) is a British slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2011.

2015 and 2017 European Champion in women’s canoe, 2019 European Championships bronze medallist, 2023 kayak cross World Champion, 2023 silver medallist at World Championships in women’s canoe, 2021 bronze medallist at World Championships in women’s kayak.

Gabriela Satkova (CZE)

Gabriela Satková (born 2 December 2001) is a Czech slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2016.

2020 European Champion in women’s canoe, 2021 bronze medallist at World Championships in women’s canoe, two World Champion titles in women’s team canoe event, 2022 European Champion in women’s canoe team event.

Andrea Herzog (GER)

Andrea Herzog (born 9 December 1999) is a German slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2014.

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist in women’s canoe, 2019 and 2022 World Champion in women’s canoe, 2023 European Games bronze medallist in women’s team canoe event, 2017 and 2019 European Championships silver medallist in women’s canoe.

MEN’S CANOE

Benjamin Savsek (SLO)

Benjamin Savšek (born 24 March 1987)[1] is a Slovenian slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2002, specializing in the C1 discipline.

2020 Tokyo Olympic Champion, World Champion in 2017 and 2023, European Champion in 2015, 2019, 2020, 2022. Team World Champion in 2022, team European Champion in 2014, 2019, 2020. 2015 World Championships silver medallist, 2013 World Championships bronze medallist, 2012 European Championships bronze medallist.

Luka Bozic (SLO)

Luka Božič (born 9 January 1991) is a Slovenian slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2006.

2014 World Champion in C2, 2019 World Championships bronze medallist in men’s canoe, team European Champion in men’s canoe in 2014, 2019, 2020. Team World Champion in men’s canoe in 2022.

Nicolas Gestin (FRA)

Nicolas Gestin (born 30 March 2000) is a French slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2016.

2023 silver medallist at World Championships in men’s canoe, 2021 and 2023 team World Champion in men’s canoe, 2019 and 2021 U23 World Champion in men’s canoe.

Miquel Trave (ESP)

Miquel Travé Pujal (born 6 January 2000) is a Spanish slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 2016.

2023 European Games silver medallist in men’s canoe, 2022 bronze medallist at European Championships in men’s canoe, 2023 European Games gold medallist in men’s kayak team event, 2018 Junior European Champion in men’s canoe and kayak.

Pred začetkom 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia evropskega prvenstva v slalomu na divjih vodah smo z vašo pomočjo iskali ime za našo maskoto. Potočni rak nas spremlja že od leta 2010, ko smo gostili 2010 ICF svetovno prvenstvo v slalomu na divjih vodah, a maskota vse do sedaj ni imela uradnega naziva. Zato smo se letos odločili, da tudi z vašo pomočjo najdemo primerno ime. V glasovanju je največ glasov prejelo ime Brzi.

Naša maskota je potočni rak. Ekologija in čista voda sta najbolj pomembna dejavnika pri ukvarjanju z vodnimi športi, kot je kajakaštvo. S tem je povezana tudi maskota tekmovanja – potočni rak, ki živi le v čistih ter neoporečnih rekah in potokih. Hkrati je rak tudi žival, ki deluje samozavestno, bojevito in na drugi strani živahno, kar je tudi značilnost tekmovalcev, ki bodo nastopili na prvenstvu.

Najprej smo vas pozvali, da nam posredujete svoje predloge, nato pa smo izbrali tri, in v glasovanju je predlog Brzi prejel več glasov kot predloga KaRAKaš in Bistri. Tako, da vam s ponosom predstavljamo »Brzija«.

»O ideji sem razmišljal z vidika trajnosti. Imel sem še nekaj drugih imen v mislih, nato pa sem se spomnil imena »Brzi«, ki izhaja iz savskih brzic, Tacna, kajaka. Maskota je povezana z vodo, predstavlja en vidik trajnosti. Zdelo se mi je dobro ime, ki gre hitro v uho in si ga bodo gledalci, tekmovalci, oziroma udeleženci dogodka lahko zapomnili. Mislim, da bo ta maskota lepo popestrila celoten dogodek in si jo bodo vsi zapomnili. S tem pa tudi celotno prvenstvo,« je povedal Arne Dolenc, ki je predlagal ime Brzi.

You have chosen – the mascot is called Brzi

Before the start of the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships, we were looking for a name of our mascot with your help. The crayfish has been accompanying us since 2010, when we hosted the 2010 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, but the mascot has not had an official name until now. That’s why this year we decided to find a suitable name with your help. In the voting, the name Brzi received the most votes.

Our mascot is a crayfish. Ecology and clean water are the most important factors when engaging in water sports such as canoeing. The mascot of the competition is also connected with this – a crayfish that lives only in clean and unblemished rivers and streams. At the same time, crayfish is also an animal that acts confidently, belligerently, and on the other hand lively, which is also a characteristic of the competitors who will take part in the Championships.

First, we asked you to send us your suggestions, and then we chose the best three, and in the voting, the Brzi proposal received more votes than the KaRAKaš and Bistri proposals.

“I thought about the idea from a sustainability point of view. I had a few other names in mind, and then I remembered the name “Brzi”, which comes from the Sava rapids, Tacen, kayak. The mascot is associated with water, representing one aspect of sustainability. I thought it was a good name that quickly catches the ear and that spectators, competitors, or event participants, will be able to remember. I think this mascot will add a nice touch to the whole Championships and will be remembered by everyone. And with that, the entire championships,” said Arne Dolenc, who proposed the name Brzi.

FOTO: BOBO