Kayak Cross with first names for the new season. Who will defend their titles from Troja?

The 2025 Canoe Slalom World Cup, which will take place in Prague’s Troja (June 27–29), attracts not only local fans but also the world’s top paddlers. The nomination of the Czech team for the Kayak Cross, which will once again be held alongside the canoe slalom races in Troja, is now clear. Who will fight for the valuable medals on the home course?

In last year’s Olympic season, the Czech team performed excellently on the Vltava River. Among the women, British Kimberley Woods won, narrowly beating the Czech Tereza Fišerová. Despite the loss in the gold medal race, Fišerová proudly earned valuable silver, marking the Czech team’s fourth medal at this prestigious World Cup stop. Woods later confirmed her form with a bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games.
Among the men, Swiss athlete Dimitri Marx triumphed, dominating with a huge lead, proving that he belongs to the absolute world elite in this discipline.

And what will this year bring?

After a challenging nomination weekend at the beginning of April, held in truly cold conditions, the first athletes who will represent the country on the international scene have been selected. The Czech team can look forward to strong representation in both categories, men’s and women’s thanks to talented paddlers, who already have several valuable experiences from top-level competitions.

Czech Selection Winners:

• Men: Jakub Krejčí took first place, securing a nomination to the national team. Matyáš Novák finished second, earning his spot in the team.
• Women: In the women’s category, Olga Samková was the best, dominating the races. Tereza Kneblová finished second.

The same paddlers also secured nominations in the U23 category. The third spots in both categories will be determined by the results of the slalom nomination races. The final decision will be made on Sunday, May 4.

This year’s World Cup in Prague-Troja promises to be an exciting spectacle once again. Given the past performances and the strength of the Czech team, our athletes will aim not only to defend last year’s placements but also to move even further forward. It will be interesting to see if the home representatives, who know the specifics of the course, can prevail against the strong international competition, including last year’s winners like Kimberley Woods and Dimitri Marx.
Historically, the first Olympic medallist’s from the Paris Games, including winner Finn Butcher from New Zealand and well-known Noemie Fox from Australia, will likely shake things up as well. This event is a must-see for all canoe slalom fans in Czechia and abroad, and we are already looking forward to the thrilling battles on the water!

Pictures: Martin Hladík