The qualifications in extreme slalom for the Czech boats
Saturday's program of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Troja ended with qualifying races in extreme canoe slalom, a new Olympic discipline for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. In the first races, the competitors went individually, the time was especially important. Extreme slalom is ridden on a plastic boat that is heavier than a normal kayak. Competitors go through or go around eight rubber gates. In the middle, the racer still has to handle the Eskimo.
Jiří Prskavec became the best kayaker on the home course in Prague
Thanks to the triple Czech participation, the final of the men´s kayak competition was the right culmination of Saturday's individual competitions in Prague's Troja. The kayak competition was won by Jiří Prskavec, the silver goes to the Italian Giovanni De Gennaro and the bronze is surprisingly taken by Mathieu Biazizzo from France.
Polish double in the women´s kayak competition. Zwolinská won, Pacierpnik second, Fox third
We have seen extremely strong fights in the men´s and women´s kayak finals. Natalia Pacierpnik of Poland wentthe final ride in an absolutely famous way. She managed a difficult central passage and showed a clean run, recording the best time of the day 102.49 s. Other competitors have already got one mistake after another. Maialen Chourraut from Spain recorded 4 penalty seconds, the German Ricarda Funk was not clear on the gate 3, then she also passed gate 9 incorrectly and a 50-second penalty shone next to her name. Then another mistake was added on gate 16 and the medal hopes for Germany took over halfway through the track.
All Czech kayakers in the final. Prskavec the fastest in the semi-final
The kayak semifinals also offered interesting moments. The Slovak Jakub Grigar went perfectly right at the beginning, showed a flawless run and settled for a long time in the lead. With a time of 92.39s, he also set the bar very high and will not be missing in the final. Vavřinec Hradilek was the first Czech kayaker to set off on the track, he did not make a single mistake and after a while of waiting for him, two mistakes of the German Aigner definitely sent him to the finals as well as the home winner Jiří Prskavec and Vít Přindiš.
Women´s kayak semifinal best for the Pole Zwolinska
Saturday's program of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup was started by women kayakers. Even the experienced British Fiona Pennie did not avoid a mistake, got 50 penalization and her chances for the finals vanished at that moment. Another big competitor, Jana Dukátová from Slovakia, will not show up in the final. However, the home talent Antonie Galušková made it to the top 10.
Jaroslav Pollert: The canoe slalom model for adults and kids
Tasiadis and Franklin best in the C1 categories. All Czech boats qualified
K1 qualifications in Prague won by Fox and De Gennaro
From 11 to 13 June, the Canoe Slalom World Cup is taking place on the Prague Troja channel. It is the first stop of this year's whole series. The first qualifying races were completed by kayakers on Friday morning. Among the women kayakers was the best Australian Jessica Fox, in the men´s kayak was Italian Giovanni De Gennaro the most successful. All Czech boats advanced from the qualification in both categories.
World´s best set for Prague World Cup
Reigning Olympic and world champions head the strongest canoe slalom field assembled since 2019 for this weekend’s opening 2021 ICF world cup in Prague. More than 200 athletes from 34 countries have overcome tough international travel restrictions to descend on the Czech Republic for what will be one of the last major competitions before the Tokyo Olympics.