Hungary has made a strong start to the 2023 International Canoe Federation Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Italy, posting fastest qualifying time in at least six events on the opening day.

The Hungarian men’s and women’s U23 women’s and men’s K4 500 crews both won their heats and qualified straight through to the finals, as did both the Hungarian K4 junior crews.

Other Hungarian fastest qualifers in Auronzo on Wednesday included Agnes Kiss and Csepke Molnar in the women’s junior C2 500, and Borka Zagyvai in the women’s C1 U23 1000.

There was a good even spread of fastest qualifiers in other events. Uzbekistan’s Vladen Denisov was fastest in the men’s U23 C1 1000, Kazakhstan’s world cup winner Mariya Brovkova finished more than seven seconds ahead of the next fastest qualifier in the women’s junior C1 1000, and Italy’s Samuele Veglianti was best in the men’s C1 junior 1000.  

Germany’s Tobias Hammer and Jan Prager set the quickest time in the men’s U23 K2 1000, Spain’s Maria Moreno and Antia Otero were fastest in the women’s U23 C2 500, and Latvia’s Krista Berzina in a time of 41.24 was quickest in the women’s junior K1 200.

Bulgaria's Yoana Georgieva was fastest in the women's K1 U23 200.

Ukrainians posted fastest times in two events – Yaroslav Verblivd and Vitalii Prystai in the junior men’s C2 1000, and Artem Chetvertak and Pavlo Borsuk in the C2 U23 men’s 1000.

The first medals in Auronzo will be decided on Friday.

Results and start lists can be found here.

Pics by Bence Vekassy