Prva dva tekmovalna dneva 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia evropskega prvenstva v slalomu na divjih vodah v Ljubljani – Tacnu so za nami. Imamo prve dobitnike kolajn v posamičnem kajakaškem krosu in kajakaškem krosu. Čestitke vsem!

The first two competition days of the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships are over and we have the first medallists in kayak cross individual and kayak cross events. Congratulations to all.

Na 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia evropskem prvenstvu v slalomu na divjih vodah v Tacnu so danes izvedli kajakaški kros, novo olimpijsko disciplino. Med ženskami je zmagala Švicarka Alena Marx, med moškimi pa Britanec Joseph Clarke. Na startu so bili tudi trije člani slovenske ekipe.

Kajakaški kros, ki bo prvič na sporedu olimpijskih iger letos v Parizu, je atraktivno tekmovanje na izpadanje. Izmed dveh slovenskih deklet, ki sta se na sredini tekmi v posamičnem kajakaškem krosu uvrstili na današnjo tekmo, je dlje uspelo priti Evi Terčelj.

„Želja je bila priti v finale,“ je povedala Eva Terčelj, ki se je v četrtfinalu veselila drugega mesta v svoji skupini, nato pa je v polfinalu izpadla. „Čeprav sem startala z najslabšega položaja, sem se do sredine proge uspela prebiti do drugega mesta, toda Britanka je bila takoj za menoj in me je prehitela, tako da mi ni več uspelo nadoknaditi prednosti,“ je povedala.

Zaveda se, da je na tekmovanju, kjer startajo po štirje tekmovalci hkrati, prednost za tistega, ki si uspe izboriti vodilni položaj. Preostali so v šibkejšem položaju, še vedno pa je veliko odvisno od proge, je menila.

Ajda Novak, ki je po sredinem sedmem mestu v posamičnem kajakaškem krosu prišla na današnjo tekmo z dobrimi občutki, je izpadla že v četrtfinalu. „Danes je bila povsem drugačna tekma, počutila sem se boljše kot včeraj, bila sem pripravljena napadati, žal pa se mi je start ponesrečil,“ je povedala. Sotekmovalke so jo izrinile in čeprav ji je kar uspevalo jih napadati, jih do cilja ni ujela.

Zmagovalka Alena Marx je bila prva že v sredo na posamičnem kajakaškem krosu. Druga je bila danes Francozinja Camille Prigent, tretja pa Britanka Nikita Setchell.

V četrtfinalu je izpadel tudi Tine Kancler, ki se je na današnjo tekmo uvrstil s 13. mestom v posamičnem kajakaškem krosu. „Startal sem vrhunsko, startal sem prvi,“ se je pohvalil in obžaloval, da se je nato zapletel z enim od sotekmovalcev, ki ga je ob tem precej oviral. Vseeno se je boril, na cilj pa prišel kot tretji v svoji skupini, kar ni zadoščalo za napredovanje v polfinale.

V moški konkurenci je drugo mesto pripadlo Švicarju Janu Rohrerju, tretje pa Špancu Davidu Llorenteju. Joseph Clarke, ki je danes zmagal, je bil v sredo na posamičnem kajakaškem krosu četrti.

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

The 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships in Ljubljana – Tacen continued with the kayak cross elimination phase. Young Swiss paddler Alena Marx won her second gold medal of this European Championships in women’s kayak cross final, and Joseph Clarke (GBR) won his first European Champion title in this event.

On Wednesday, Alena Marx (SUI) could hardly believe she was crowned European Champion in kayak cross individual race, which was a medal race for the first time in history. Only a couple of hours later she again showed her excellence in Kayak Centre Tacen near Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, and won her second gold medal of this European Championships.

The 23-year-old paddler never won a medal at either senior European or World Championships, now she has two, and the most shiny ones. Her biggest individual success so far was bronze medal in kayak cross at last year’s U23 World Championships in Krakow.

“It was incredible, it was really stressful. I was very tense, but it worked out well. I am very happy,” said the double European Champion. She thinks she won her race already at the beginning, “I think it was the ramp. I was pretty fast there and the first down, I was in front and after that I had distance to the others.”

In Thursday’s final on the Sava River, Marx left behind Camille Prigent from France and Nikita Setchell from Great Britain, who were second and third respectively. Italian Stefani Horn finished just below the podium positions in fourth place. Prigent also won her second medal of the Championships, after she finished third on Wednesday in Kayak Cross individual event.

While Marx will receive her first senior Championships medals in her career at a ceremony on Saturday, British kayaker Joseph Clarke is used to winning the highest positions at the biggest international events. 31-year-old Olympic Champion from Rio de Janeiro, won the last three consecutive World Champion titles in kayak cross (2021, 2022, 2023), but still waited for the first kayak cross gold medal at European Championships. So far, he had two kayak cross bronze medals from Europeans in 2021 and last year’s European Games in Krakow.

Today, Clarke won the European Champion title ahead of Jan Rohrer from Switzerland and David Llorente from Spain, while French representative Benjamin Renia finished the race in fourth position.

“It means a lot, having World titles it’s always nice to back it up with the European titles. Especially this year, being the biggest race of the season apart from the Olympic Games. It’s good to have a season off to a great start,” were the first words of the new kayak cross European Champion.

On Friday, there will not be any competitions held due to expected high water level of Sava River. The championships will continue on Saturday and Sunday with slalom heats and finals in individual events and team races in all four events.

Saturday’s and Sunday’s heats will be livestreamed on Canoe Europe Youtube Channel, while finals and team events will be live at Eurovision Sport platform.

RESULTS: https://siwidata.com/canoelive/#/splash/eca/2427

WEBSITE: www.slalomtacen.com

TV BROADCAST AND LIVESTREAM – 2024 ECA I FEEL SLOVENIA CANOE SLALOM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS click here.

REVISED SCHEDULE (15/05/2/24): REVISED SCHEDULE IS AVAILABLE HERE.

PHOTO: BOBO