Italian and French canoe slalom teams
were thrilled on the penultimate day of the 2022 ICF Junior and U23 Canoe
Slalom World Championships in Ivrea, Italy, taking two gold medals each. Mewen
Debliquy, Elena Borghi, Titouan Castryck and Lucia Pistoni were crowned World
Champions on the Dora Baltea River today.
A week ago, Elena Borghi tested
positive for the Covid-19 and had to stayed at home, without a training and
preparation for the World Championships. Now, all is forgotten as the
20-year-old paddler from Ferrara won in the women's U23 canoe final of the 2022
ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Ivrea.
"I am so happy, I can't even
talk. I haven't realised it yet. It is really amazing here at home with my
family, with my friends, it's really special. Thank you to all the people who
support me, thank you very much," were the first words of Borghi.
"I had Covid last week, so I was
lucky I know the course so well. I had just one session and for me this medal
is really good, because it was so hard. I don't feel really confident with my
body because I stayed at home one week. I am so happy that I did this."
Gabriela Satkova from Czech Republic
picked up silver medal, while last year's silver medallist Emanuela Luknarova
from Slovakia was third.
Lucia Pistoni followed the footsteps
of Borghi and won in afternoon's junior K1 final. 17-year-old from Ivrea took
advantage of the home course and produced the best final run in women's junior
kayak final. The favourites made too many mistakes, while Pistoni navigated
through the gates without any penalties.
Poland's Dominika Brzeska was second,
and German Paulina Pirro won bronze medal.
"I am very happy. Before the
start I was so scared. I am at home, I have all my beautiful family with me.
It's fantastic. It's so cool, everything is so beautiful right now. I can't
explain. I'm shocked. When I came to the finish line and saw that I am first, I
said: 'Oh, my god, oh, my god," said excited Pistoni after the race.
In men's junior kayak final another
17-year-old managed to put down the best final run. Titouan Castryck from
France was the one who won the gold medal, and he did it for the second year in
a row. He was the only athlete in Ivrea who managed to defend the title in
slalom events.
"It is really good, it was a lot
harder, but I am happy I managed to keep it. It was more stressful before the
heats and in semis, and in the final a bit more than last year. I didn't have
really good feelings on the water. I managed to do a clean run and that's the
most important," said the future of French canoe slalom, who has canoeing
in his blood. Both of his parents are involved in canoeing, his mother Anne
Boixel represented France in two Olympic Games.
Castryck qualified for the senior
French team this year and in two weeks we will see him competing at Senior
Canoe Slalom World Championships in Augsburg.
Silver medal went to Czech Republic
thanks to Stepan Venc, who competed at his first junior World Championships
ever, and Sam Leaver from Great Britain was third.
Men's U23 canoe final also ended with
French celebration. Mewen Debliquy, Junior C1 European Champion from 2020 and
2021, competed in the U23 age group for the first time and this was his second
gold medal at the 2022 ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in
Ivrea. On Tuesday, he won gold medal in men's C1 U23 team race together with
Jules Bernardet and Adrien Fischer.
"It was hard. I did not have the
best semi-final, I was tenth. It was not the best start of the day, but I
managed to do a clean run. Not the fastest, but clean. I did not know what to
expect because I was the first to go. Now I am World Champion. I am so
happy," said Debliquy, who will also represent France at the upcoming
senior Canoe Slalom World Championships in Germany.
Kacper Sztuba from Poland won silver
medal in men's U23 C1 final and Vojtech Heger from Czech Republic was third.
On Sunday, the 2022 ICF Junior and
U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Ivrea will conclude with extreme slalom
events.
RESULTS
MEN'S U23 C1
1. Mewen Debliquy FRA 87.89 (0
seconds of penalties)
2. Kacper Sztuba POL 88.04 (0)
3. Vojtech Heger CZE (0)
WOMEN'S U23 C1
1. Elena Borhgi ITA 95.24 (0)
2. Gabriela Satkova CZE 96.90 (2)
3. Emanuela Luknarova SVK 102.20 (2)
MEN'S JUNIOR K1
1. Titouan Castryck FRA 83.35 (0)
2. Stepan Venc CZE 84.98 (0)
3. Sam Leaver GBR 85.08 (0)
WOMEN'S JUNIOR K1
1. Lucia Pistoni ITA 94.14 (0)
2. Dominika Brzeska POL 95.40 (0)
3.
Paulina Pirro GER 98.33 (0)
Photo: Damiano Benedetto
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