The second competition day of the ECA I Feel Slovenia Tacen 2024 European Open Canoe Slalom Cup and the ICF ranking race on the Sava River brought wins to younger generation. The most experienced winner of the day was Eva Terčelj (SLO) in women’s kayak. Elena Borghi (ITA) won in women’s canoe, Lan Tominc in men’s kayak and Žiga Lin Hočevar (both SLO) in men’s canoe.
The second day of racing in Ljubljana
– Slovenia, on a venue which will host the 2024 ECA I Feel Slovenia Canoe
Slalom European Championships between 15th and 19th May, brought exciting
finals. There were more than 230 athletes from 19 countries on the start line
of the competition.
Young Slovenian paddlers showed their
skills on a home course and won ahead of more experienced athletes. The win in
men’s canoe final went to the hands of 16-year-old Žiga Lin Hočevar, while
21-year-old Lan Tominc won in men’s kayak event.
Slovenian kayaker Lan Tominc, the 2018
Youth Olympic Games champion, produced the best run in men’s kayak final,
finishing the race 0.50 seconds ahead of the best Italian kayaker Giovanni de
Gennaro. Tine Kancler (SLO) was third.
Tominc, who set the fastest time
already in heat’s run was happy with his performance, “I am very happy with the
three runs I showed over the weekend. The boat runs smoothly, I am in good
form, so I am satisfied.”
One of the highlights of the race was
men’s canoe final, where the elite of the sport took part in. At the end, the
winner was 16-year-old Slovenian Žiga Lin Hočevar, for whom this is the first
win among the seniors at the highest level of international competitions. The
2023 Junior World Champion in canoe won ahead of 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver
medallist Matej Beňuš from Slovakia, while Luka Božič the world number one in
the ICF World Ranking won bronze medal. The reigning Olympic Champion Benjamin
Savšek (SLO) finished sixth at his home course.
“Unbelievable! This is my first win
on a professional or better said senior level competition. I knew who was still
up on the start, but I also knew that I had a penalty free run. It was again
windy today, some of the gates were a bit low. When I reached the finish and
saw I had a good run, I knew there is a chance for a win, but there were still
Benjamin Savšek, Luka Božič and Raffaello Ivaldi at the top waiting to start,”
said Hočevar.
Elena Borghi took the win for Italy in women’s canoe final. Italians, like Slovenians, used this race as one of their selection races, so the motive was very high. Borghi picked up four penalty seconds, but regardless she took the top podium position, finishing 0.28 seconds ahead of Lea Novak (SLO) who also had four penalties. British representative Ellis Miller was third.
After the race Borghi said, “This is
one of the most difficult courses. I felt good, but when you have two days of
racing, on the second day it is really hard mentally and physically. I didn’t
feel too good physically, but I managed to keep the focus, so I am happy with
my run.”
In women’s kayak final, Slovenian Eva
Terčelj celebrated a win. The 2019 World Champion was just 0.09 seconds ahead
of Corinna Kuhnle. Austrian kayaker won some of her biggest career successes at
this course in Ljubljana. In 2010, she was crowned World Champion and in 2011
she won European Champion title here. Lea Novak (SLO), who was second in canoe,
secured herself bronze medal in the kayak final.
“I am happy to conclude the weekend
in such a pleasant way. It was hard to compete, because I am still seeking the
right feelings on the course. I am still not in a form I’d like to be in when
the season starts. I am very satisfied I managed to produce a run without
touches and bigger mistakes. I can build in this,” said Terčelj.
The livestreaming is available on the
Youtube channel of the European Canoe Association - Canoe Europe:
https://www.youtube.com/CanoeEurope
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