The second race in the 2023 ECA Wildwater Sprint Canoeing European Cup series was held on Kolpa River. Slovenian paddlers did not allow any surprise on their home ground and took all the wins. In men’s kayak final Anže Urankar beat World Champion Nejc Žnidarčič.
In the most anticipated final of the
2023 ECA Wildwater Sprint Canoeing European Cup in Slovenia the top three
Slovenian paddlers took all three podium positions at ECA European Cup race,
which also counted as Slovenian Wildwater Sprint Canoeing National
Championships.
Anže Urankar, the 2017 Wildwater
Sprint Canoeing World Champion, took the win at the ECA Cup and became national
champion in men’s kayak after he produced the fastest run of the day in the
second run (the best of the two runs counted as the final result).
In the first run Nejc Žnidarčič, the
six-time Wildwater Sprint Canoeing World Champion, led ahead of Urankar, but
had slower time in the second attempt. At the end Urankar won 0.48 seconds
ahead of his biggest rival Nejc Žnidarčič, the reigning World Champion. Third
place and bronze medal went to Simon Oven, the 2018 World Champion in classic
race, for the all Slovenian podium in men’s kayak.
The heart stopping final was seen in
women’s kayak event, where only 0.01 seconds divided the first two athletes. It
was Nika Ozimc who won the European Cup race ahead of Ana Šteblaj, while Živa
Jančar took bronze medal for one more all Slovenian podium.
In men’s canoe final Blaž Cof (SLO)
took the win ahead of Martin Gale (SLO), who was 1.87 seconds behind. Cof, who
was the 2018 Wildwater Sprint Canoeing World Champion, returned this year
highly motivated ahead of the 2023 ECA Wildwater Canoeing European
Championships and the 2023 ICF Wildwater Sprint Canoeing World Championships
after he did not compete at a highest level for a couple of seasons.
“Some days I get up at four in the
morning, go to the gym before work, then work, and after that it's time for
paddling session. I was preparing well, a bit more appropriate for my years and
with the head, so I didn't exaggerate that I could sustain this pace. I have to
be aware that the regeneration is a bit longer than it used to be. With the
work I did and especially with experience, a good result can come,” said Cof.
Bronze medal of the European Cup race
in men’s canoe went to Croatian canoeist Tomislav Hohnjec, who was 3.95 seconds
behind Cof.
Slovenian duo Martin Gale – Nejc
Gradišek took the win in men’s Canadian double final. Croatian crew Janko
Presečki – Tomislav Hohnjec was second (+4.02), while Serbians Pavle Zdravković
– Zoran Krumov (+9.64) picked up bronze medal.
The next major Wildwater Canoeing
competition will be the 2023 ECA Wildwater Canoeing European Championships in
Skopje (MKD) between 16th and 20th May, while the ECA Wildwater Sprint Canoeing
European Cup series continues in June with race in Dallenwil (SUI).
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