On the final day of the 2023 ECA
Canoe Marathon European Championships four medal events were on the programme
in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. Polish duo Mateusz Zuchora - Mateusz Borgiel won
European Champion title in senior men's C2 event, Evelin Csengeri - Panna Sinko
were the best in women's K2, Quentin Urban and Jeremy Candy in men's K2, while
Arpad Kekesi - Daniel Zemen won in junior MK2 event.
In the morning programme, Polish crew
Mateusz Zuchora - Mateusz Borgiel prepared an amazing comeback to win the
European Champion title in men's C2 senior event. Poles had some problems in
the start of the race and fell behind the two Spanish crews. In the first portage,
they had to pump the water out of their boat, and precious seconds were running
against them.
They left the portage a minute behind
the Spaniards Campos - Romero and Busto - Miguens.
Zuchora and Borgiel were fighting to
close the gap between the leading group and as the last part of the race was
approaching, the gap was smaller and smaller. In amazing final, they managed to
overtake the Spanish duos to win the race with more than 14 seconds
advantage. Zuchora and Borgiel were
second last year at the European Championships in Silkeborg.
Silver and bronze medal went to
Spain. The defending champions Manuel Campos and Diego Romero won silver medal
this time, while Fernando Busto and Diego Miguens repeated their result from
the 2022 when they also picked up bronze medal in men's C2 event of the
European Championships.
The defending champions of the 2022
in women's K2 event did not participate this year in Slavonski Brod, so the new
champions were crowned. The race was shortened due to the demanding conditions and
extremely high temperatures. The fastest duo in 22,6 kilometres long race was
Evelin Csengeri - Panna Sinko (HUN) who crossed the finish line 1:43:06.41
after the start.
The silver medal in women's kayak
double also went to Hungary with Csilla Rugasi - Panna Csepe. The reigning
World Champions Tania Fernandez and Tania Alvarez from Spain, who were also
European Championships medallists in the past, were third this time and
received bronze medal.
Because of the heat the men's K2 race
has been shortened too. Instead of the 29,8 kilometres long course, the
athletes fought for the medals in two laps less, so they too had to deal with
the 22,6 kilometres of paddling and running. In the first part of the race
there were seven boats fighting for the European glory, however in the fifth
lap the Hungarian crew already fell a bit behind. In the penultimate portage
the additional difference between the crews has been made, while the race was
decided in the very last part of the course between three crews. Portuguese duo
Jose Ramalho - Alfredo Faria left the last portage in the provisional first
position and French Quentin Urban and Jeremy Candy were closely behind. It was
in the last metres that Urban and Candy outsprinted Portuguese crew to win the
European Champion title in men's K2 event. They were already European Champions
in 2019 and 2021.
In the finish line Urban and Candy
(FRA) were two seconds faster than Ramalho and Faria (POR) in second place,
while Adrian Boros and Bruno Kolozsvari (HUN) won bronze medal.
Arpad Kekesi, bronze medallist of
junior men's K1 event, joined forces with Daniel Zemen (HUN) to celebrate
junior European Champion title in men's junior K2 event. Hungarians concluded
the 22,6 kilometres long course in 1:36:53.67. Two Spanish crews were second
and third respectively. Ruben Castilla and Arturo Aguilar received silver
medals for their performance, and Diego Lago - Miguel Fernandez were third.
The most successful nation of the
2023 ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships was Hungary with a total of 19
medals, 8 of them gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze. Equally impressive was the team
of Spain. They won more medals than Hungary, but less gold medals, which
brought them the second place on the medal table with a total of 23 medals.
Spain won 5 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 13 bronze medals. Medals were also
won by representatives of Poland (6 medals), Denmark (4), Portugal (4), Ukraine
(3), France (2), Czechia (2), Great Britain (5), Norway (2), Germany (1) and
Serbia (1).
In 2024, the ECA Canoe Marathon
European Championships will be organised in Poznan, Poland, while competitors
will return to Croatia to fight for the World Champion titles in Metković (the
host city of the 2018 ECA Canoe Marathon European Championships).
RESULTS - day 4
MK2 Junior
1. Arpad Kekesi - Daniel Zemen HUN
2. Ruben Castilla - Arturo Aguilar
ESP
3. Diego Lago - Miguel Fernandez ESP
MC2 Senior
1. Mateusz Zuchora - Mateusz Borgiel
POL
2. Manuel Campos - Diego Romero ESP
3. Fernando Busto - Diego Miguens ESP
WK2 senior
1. Evelin Csengeri - Panna Sinko HUN
2. Csilla Rugasi - Panna Csepe HUN
3. Tania Fernandez - Tania Alvarez
ESP
MK2 Senior
1.
Quentin Urban - Jeremy Candy FRA
2. Jose Ramalho - Alfredo Faria POR
3. Adrian Boros - Bruno Kolozsvari
HUN
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