Germany’s Elena Lilik put her injury woe behind her to capture an emotional women’s canoe title at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup in Tacen, Slovenia. 

The Olympic silver medallist was forced to miss the opening two World Cups of the season after undergoing an operation on her wrist in January. 

But Lilik was back to her best, navigating a tricky Slovenian course to take the title on a thrilling day of racing. 

After Titouan Castryck’s victory in the men’s kayak yesterday, France celebrated more success today as Nicolas Gestin got the better of compatriot Yohann Senechault in a French one-two in the men’s C1. 

It is a second successive World Cup gold for reigning Olympic champion Gestin as he seeks to overhaul Senechault in the race for the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Series crown in C1. 

With Australia’s Jessica Fox withdrawing from the final two World Cups in Tacen and Augsburg after having surgery on her kidney last week, the women’s C1 has been blown wide open. 

Lilik took her opportunity in Tacen, managing to hold herself together during a challenging opening section of the course before finishing superbly to set a time of 86.86. 

It proved to be enough for victory as Ukraine’s Viktoriia Us posted 87.78 to secure silver. 

“It means everything to me because I came back from surgery on my wrist,” said Lilik. 

“It was a hard time coming back so to now win a gold medal is crazy.  

“I couldn’t do training in the winter season, I couldn’t do it after the surgery so I had very compact preparations.  

“I am just a paddler who loves to feel the water. That’s what you need in Tacen.  

“I always like to paddle here.  

“I won a gold medal at the World Cup here in 2023 so it’s back-to-back.  

“You have those post-Olympic blues and then the injury so just being back feels amazing.” 

Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods backed up her gold medal in the women’s K1 yesterday to bag bronze in 88.19. 

It took a remarkable recovery from Woods to seal a spot on the podium as she smashed the nose of her boat against the wall before the first gate and received a two-second penalty after touching gate three.

 

There were no issues for Gestin in the men’s C1 final as he swept down the course to register a stunning time of 75.67. 

After topping a French one-two-three in Prague in June, Gestin emerged victorious again as Senechault clinched silver in 76.46. 

Czechia’s Vojtech Heger claimed his first World Cup medal in C1 with bronze after crossing in 78.70. 

“I’m really enjoying every run,” said Gestin.  

“I trained really well in July and August but to put a run like this together for the final is a good surprise to me.  

“I really tried to think about the top section because I feel like that is really important here.  

“You have got to use the water but I feel like your lines can be larger so I had to be focused on my vision and really watch every movement.  

“After having a bad run in Pau, I have come back (in the overall standings).  

“I still have a chance (to win the overall title) even if Yohann is really solid.  

“Top position is really tough to get but we will see in Augsburg.” 

Live coverage of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Tacen is available to watch for signed-up members of the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.

The ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Tacen is supported by I Feel Slovenia.

Med sodelujoče na tekmah ICF svetovnega pokala v slalomu na divjih vodah v Tacnu se je danes pomešala tudi skupinica mladostnikov z motnjo v duševnem razvoju iz Društva Downov sindrom Slovenije. Z navdušenjem so spremljali dogajanje na brzicah Save, kjer so se drugi dan tekem za svetovni pokal merili kanuisti, nato pa so sodelovali še pri podelitvi medalj.

Sodelovanje društva Downov sindrom Slovenije s Kajakaško zvezo Slovenije traja že dlje časa, skoraj deset let preko humanitarnega društva Hiša sonca, nam je povedala predsednica društva Valerija Bužan. V zadnjih letih njihovi člani v Tacnu pomagajo tudi pri podelitvi nagrad.

Takšno sodelovanje se ji zdi za osebe z motnjo v duševnem razvoju zelo pomembno. “Predvsem je pomembno vključevanje v normalno okolje. Tudi sicer imajo šport zelo radi in ga spremljajo, tako da smo zelo veseli, da se lahko tukaj v živo srečajo s športniki, se z njimi fotografirajo ali spregovorijo kakšno besedo,” je povedala.

Na današnjo podelitev medalj so iz društva pripeljali šest mladostnikov. Zaupali so jim nalogo, da do zmagovalnih stopničk prinesejo medalje za zmagovalce obeh današnjih tekem v kanuju in tudi petkovih tekem v kajaku. Prav vsi so jo izpeljali suvereno in brez težav.

Športne aktivnosti so za vse zelo pomembne, je še povedala Valerija Bužan. To seveda velja tudi za otroke ter še bolj za osebe s posebnimi potrebami. “Preko dobrih motoričnih sposobnosti razvija otrok govor in vse ostale aktivnosti,” je pojasnila ter dodala, da zato zelo spodbujajo vključevanje svojih varovancev v različne športne aktivnosti.

Francoski kanuist Nicolas Gestin je zmagal na tekmi ICF svetovnega pokala v slalomu na divjih vodah v Tacnu. Progo na Savi je prevozil brez napake s časom 75,67 sekunde. Med 12 finalisti Slovencev ni bilo.

Francoski uspeh je z drugim mestom dopolnil Yohann Senechault (+0,79 sekunde). Tretji je bil Čeh Vojtech Heger (+3,03 sekunde).

Slovenski kanuisti Benjamin Savšek, Luka Božič in Žiga Lin Hočevar, ki so se na lanskem evropskem prvenstvu v Tacnu v povsem enaki sestavi veselili trojne zmage, se danes niso uspeli uvrstiti med finaliste.

Savšek je v kvalifikacijah, v katerih je bil najhitrejši Francoz Yohann Senechault, zasedel 15. mesto. Hočevar je bil 24. med 47 kanuisti na cilju, Božič pa 45.