Vít Přindiš and Tereza Fišerová will fight for the last Olympic spots in Troja

The ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague – Troja (June 6-9, 2024) will welcome the biggest stars of canoe slalom in just a week. The race on the artificial slalom course in Troja will carry an Olympic spirit. Not only will the complete Czech national team be present, led by the Tokyo gold medalist kayaker Jiří Prskavec and silver medalist canoeist Lukáš Rohan, but there will also be competition for the last Olympic spots in the new discipline of kayak cross. Tereza Fišerová and Vít Přindiš, who are the winners of the domestic nomination for this discipline, will also be competing for these spots. A total of 48 countries and 388 boats from all five continents are registered for the World Cup.

Following the euphoric atmosphere of the World Ice Hockey Championship, another top sports event is coming to Prague. The Canoe Slalom World Cup in Troja is being held for the twentieth time this year, in the lead-up to the upcoming Paris Olympics. Although kayaker Vít Přindiš did not secure a spot in K1, Jiří Prskavec will defend his title, and Přindiš still has a chance to go to Paris.

"The race in Troja is always important to me because it’s a heartfelt event in front of the home fans. But this year it’s even more exciting with the Olympic qualification in kayak cross, which will be extremely challenging," says the 35-year-old world champion from Augsburg 2022. "Out of all the countries starting in Troja and all the dozens of great competitors who have perhaps been preparing specifically for this race for a year, only the three best countries will qualify. So it’s going to be a massacre. Anything can happen. Nothing can be planned. We’re trying out different options and tactics. But what happens in the actual race depends greatly on the reactions of the other three competitors. It’s very unpredictable," adds the protégé of Jiří Prskavec Sr.

For spectators, the Paddleride will once again be interesting, taking place traditionally on Sunday, June 2, from 2:00 PM, when paddlers will board in front of the UK FTVS Boathouse in Troja and continue along the Vltava. As a co-organizer of the event, Přindiš will focus mainly on the races.

"Tacen and Augsburg are test races for me to see how I am after winter and especially how my competitors are. Each of us trained in different places over the winter, and there weren’t many opportunities for comparison. But I gave my all in preparation and in recent weeks I’ve also put slalom aside a bit," Přindiš describes.

The Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague – Troja will not be missed by the biggest stars of canoe slalom from around the world, including the regular participant Jessica Fox from Australia, the Olympic champion from Tokyo, and another Olympic champion, kayaker Joseph Clarke from Great Britain.

"The reason why spectators should come to Troja is clear - because Troja has the best atmosphere, which the competitors reward with their performances. I think it’s one of the top events in the Czech Republic, worth coming to see," adds Přindiš, who as a co-organizer has been helping with public event preparations for several years.

Competitors from five continents, 48 countries, and 388 boats will compete in Troja. There will also be a representative of the so-called ICF refugee team. A total of 268 slalomists will compete, with 260 starts planned in canoe slalom and 128 in kayak cross. A support team of 173 coaches, physiotherapists, and team leaders will also arrive in Troja.

The race director and coach Jiří Rohan feels responsible for every competitor and all visitors in Troja. "We want nothing more than to be the best race of all the World Cups. That's also why we've been striving for years to build a new slalom track and recreational sports complex in Troja. I believe that our competitors will manage to secure the last Olympic spots on home soil and contribute to the fame of our sport, which is our second most successful Olympic sport," says Jiří Rohan.

"I would also like to highlight the valuable cooperation with our partners and sponsors of the event. The general partner is the ČEZ Group and the main partner is the financial group UNIQA. The Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague-Troja is also financially supported by the National Sports Agency and the capital city of Prague. Thanks to such cooperation, visitors can look forward not only to a full sports program but also to accompanying events. Competitors will once again ceremoniously receive their start numbers at a reception at the Mayor's Residence on Wednesday, June 5, at 8:00 PM. There will be an accompanying program for visitors," adds the director of the organizing committee, inviting sports fans to cheer on not only the future Olympians from Paris.

Picture: Martin Hladík