S posamičnim kajakaškim krosom se je začelo evropsko prvenstvo

S posamičnim kajakaškim krosom se je danes v Ljubljani začelo 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia evropsko prvenstvo v slalomu na divjih vodah. Med ženskami je zmagala Švicarka Alena Marx, najboljša Slovenka je bila Ajda Novak na sedmem mestu. Med moškimi se je zlate medalje razveselil Čeh Vit Prindiš.

Med 27 tekmovalkami na startu so bile tri Slovenke, poleg Ajde Novak še Eva Terčelj in Eva Alina Hočevar.

Eva Terčelj je s startno številko 2 zaostala za zmagovalko 3,85 sekunde, kar je zadoščalo za 12. mesto. „Vožnja ni bila brez napak, bile so manjše napake, pač ni idealno steklo,“ je dejala po tekmi, vseeno pa se razveselila uvrstitve v četrtkov kajakaški kros, ko bodo na startu po štirje tekmovalci hkrati. Za uvrstitev med najboljših 16 se je bilo treba kar potruditi, je priznala.

Ajda Novak je bila s 3,14 sekunde zaostanka in sedmim mestom kar zadovoljna. „Vožnja sicer ni bila najboljša, želela sem si še malo več tega dobrega občutka, da bi čoln res tekel,“ je ocenila. Spomnila se je nesrečnega pripetljaja na prvih vratcih, ko je naletela na protival. „Ampak to je Tacen, voda niha, tako da se je treba prilagoditi,“ se je postavila na realna tla.

Domača proga je vsekakor prednost, je še menila Ajda Novak. „Predvsem zaradi domačih navijačev, pa vzdušja, res se dobro počutimo tukaj,“ je dodala, z mislimi že na četrtkovo tekmo. Takrat bo po njenih besedah pristop povsem drugačen kot danes, „ker štirje startamo naenkrat, tako da bomo danes naredili strategijo in se bom poskusila čim bolje pripraviti na jutri“.

Tekmo je končalo 36 tekmovalk, Eva Alina Hočevar je zasedla 34. mesto in v četrtek na kajakaškem krosu ne bo nastopila.

Drugo mesto je zasedla Klaudia Zwolinska iz Poljske, tretje pa Camille Prigent iz Francije.

V moški konkurenci je nastopilo 56 tekmovalcev, med njimi iz Slovenije Jakob Šavli, Peter Kauzer in Tine Kancler.

Tine Kancler je s 3,77 sekunde zaostanka zasedel 13. mesto in bo kot edini Slovenec v četrtek nastopil na kajakaškem krosu. Jakob Šavli je tekmo končal na 20. mestu (+4,93 sekunde), Peter Kauzer pa na 37. mestu (+9,50 sekunde).

Avtomatsko rampo na startu so namestili šele v torek in tekmovalci so jo imeli možnost preizkusiti le na enem treningu, kar je Tineta Kanclerja zmotilo. „Start z avtomatsko rampo je precej bolj težek,“ je dejal in menil, da je izbral kar dober položaj telesa, a je v vodo zdrsnil precej navpično in ga je kar ustavilo. „Zato sem moral močno pognati, da sem dobil hitrost,“ je dejal in ocenil, da je verjetno že na startu izgubil kakšne pol sekunde.

Na drugem mestu je tekmo končal Jonny Dicson iz Velike Britanije, na tretjem pa Martin Dougoud iz Švice.

Zaradi slabe vremenske napovedi so morali organizatorji precej spremeniti tekmovalni spored.

FOTO: BOBO

Historic Kayak Cross individual European Champion titles for Alena Marx and Vit Prindis

The organisers of the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships in Ljubljana – Tacen had to take a difficult decision to revise the competition programme of the championships. The hydrological forecast predicts high water level of the Sava River in the next days, so Wednesday already brought the first competition day – Kayak Cross individual race, initially scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Alena Marx (SUI) and Vit Prindis (CZE) took the historic European Champion titles in the opening event.

The first time in history of the Canoe Slalom European Championships the competitors fought for the European Champion title in the kayak cross individual event. The protagonists of the day were Swiss kayaker Alena Marx and Czech paddler Vit Prindis who took the wins in their respective events.

The 23-year-old Alena Marx could not believe she just won a senior European Champion title on the opening day of the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships in Ljubljana – Tacen. “I did not expect it. I just hoped to make a good run. I never thought it can be so good. I am really happy,” said Marx and added, “I hoped to do the upstreams well. I trained this a lot. Sometimes they work, sometimes they do not. Today they worked perfectly.”

Marx finished the race 0.22 seconds ahead of Klaudia Zwolinska (POL), while Camille Prigent (FRA) won bronze medal.

In men’s kayak cross individual event, experienced Czech kayaker Vit Prindis took the win ahead of Jonny Dickson (GBR) and Martin Dougoud (SUI). Dickson was 0.95 seconds behind and Dougoud 1.66 seconds.

Prindis, who was already the 2021 Kayak Cross European Champion, was very happy with the outcome of the first competition day: “It is quite funny. We were speaking about it. I won the first Europeans in Ivrea, and in Czech Republic we also have the first World Champion, and we were talking it would be nice to keep it in Czech Republic. It happened. I am really happy with my performance and my run. I was trying to have smooth lines and paddle as hard as I can. It worked well on this tricky water.”

As mentioned before, the competition schedule has been completely revised. On Thursday, we will follow the kayak cross elimination phase, starting at 10.00 CET. Livestream will be available at www.eurovisionsport.com. On Friday, there will be no competitions, and the weekend will bring canoe slalom heats and finals in all four events, as well as team finals. Individual and team finals will be streamed at www.eurovisionsport.com, while the heats will be livestreamed at www.youtube.com/CanoeEurope.

Find all the useful links (results, programme, livestream, TV Broadcast) here: https://www.canoe-europe.org/calendar/2024-eca-canoe-slalom-european-championships-369

PHOTO: BOBO

First winners will be known on Wednesday, follow live on Canoe Europe Youtube channel

Due to the bad weather forecast and the expected high water levels of Sava River, the schedule of the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom European Championships in Ljubljana – Tacen has been changed. The first race of the championships will now be the kayak cross individual race, which will be the medal event for the first time in history.

The best three athletes in women’s and best three in men’s kayak cross individual event will receive the medals of the European Championships for the first time in history and the top 16 in each event will advance to Thursday’s elimination phase, where another two sets of medals will be awarded to the best on the startline.

In women’s kayak cross individual race 37 athletes will be fighting for the European Champion title, and in men’s event there will be 56 boats on the start. The list includes names such as Joseph Clarke, Boris Neveu, Stefan Hengst, Vit Prindiš, Kimberley Woods, Eva Terčelj, Camille Prigent …

Follow kayak cross individual race live on www.youtube.com/CanoeEurope.

Live results: https://siwidata.com/canoelive/#/splash/eca/2427