Leriche, Šmoldas and Satkova become Euro Champs

ICFmedia

25 July 2016

ECA PRESS RELEASE: The 2016 ECA Junior Wildwater Canoeing European Championships in Murau has concluded with individual sprint finals and team sprint events. Cyprien Leriche (K1M/FRA), Michal Šmoldas (C1M/CZE) and Martina Satkova (C1W/CZE) who won gold medals in the individual classic races were once again unbeatable in their respective events. Anežka Paloudova (K1W/CZE), Gabriela Satkova – Karolina Paloudova (C2W/CZE) and Thomas Spindler – Matieu Ravarino (C2M/FRA) also won gold medals in Sunday’s individual sprint finals.

It was an unforgettable Junior Wildwater Canoeing European Championships for Czech paddler Martina Satkova. One of the main favourites of this championship in Austria won four medals in individual events, three of them gold and one silver. Satkova, who last week competed in Krakow at the Junior Canoe Slalom World Championships, won gold medals in women’s kayak and canoe classic events and today enriched her medals collection with gold in women’s canoe and silver medal in women’s kayak sprint finals. Satkova had to congratulate her teammate Anežka Paloudova in today’s women’s kayak final on her Junior European Champion title. Paloudova crossed the finish line 1.20 seconds faster than Satkova, while Lisa Koestle (GER) picked up bronze medal in K1W final. Satkova then won her third individual gold medal on the Mur River in women’s canoe final, ahead of her sister Gabriela Satkova and Alice Panato of Italy.

Cyprien Leriche (FRA) too had an amazing weekend in Murau. He was the fastest kayaker of junior classic race and confirmed his good form in sprint final, finishing the race 0.12 seconds faster than him team colleague Titouan Ropers. Swiss kayaker Linus Bolzern won bronze medal.

Czech canoeist Michal Šmoldas stopped the clock at 54.36 in sprint final to win his second European Champion title this weekend. He was celebrating a gold medal already on Thursday after the classic race. Two French paddlers Julien Saliba and Etienne Klatt joined him on the winner’s podium.

France won two medals in men’s C2 final as well. Thomas Spindler and Matieu Ravarino became the new European Champions with a time 52.75. Their compatriots Robin Hurard and Jean Baptiste Roth picked up bronze medal. In between were Czechs Mikulaš Zapletal and Vojtech Zapletal who were the fastest in classic event of this European Championships.

Gabriela Satkova and Karolina Paloudova (CZE) were the best in women’s C2 sprint final, followed by French duo Manon Durand – Elisa Gaubert and Italians Alice Panato – Valentina Razzauti.

Sprint team gold medals for France, Italy and Czech Republic

After the individual sprint finals ended young competitors started in the sprint team events. French canoeists Nicolas Sauteur, Julien Saliba and Etienne Klatt won gold, Italians Giacomo Bianchetti, Riccardo Fiorese and Tomasso Mapelli were second and Vojtech Skorepa, Michal Šmoldaš and Jan Klima of Czech Republic third. Italian kayakers Francesco Ciotoli, Andrea Bernardi and Gabriele Esposito crossed the finish line only 0.01 seconds faster than French representatives Cyprien Leriche, Benoit Lecoester and Titouan Ropers to win the European Champions title. Czech paddlers Mikulaš Zapletal, Daniel Kobližek and Vojtech Zapletal were third. Their compatriots Martina Satkova, Anežka Paloudova and Barbora Dimovovoa (CZE) were the fastest in women’s team final. Mathilde Valdenaire, Myriam LeJoncourt and Tara Ince of France won silver medal, while Lauranne Sinnesael, Joke Plas and Hana Plas won bronze medal.

U23 sprint event medals in the hands of Swiss, French, Slovenian, German, Austrian, Belgian and British athletes

Wildwater paddlers competed in the U23 categories as well this weekend, but the classic and sprint events were not an official part of the Junior European championships. Yannick Lemmen (GER) set the fastest time in men’s K1 U23 sprint final. Two Slovenian kayakers Simon Oven and Anže Urankar joined him on the podium. Melanie Mathys (SUI) was the fastest in women’s U23 kayak final, finishing the race ahead of Phenicia Dupras (FRA) and Valentina Dreier (AUT). Theo Viens (FRA) produced the best run to win C1M sprint final. Two Germans Moritz Fladung and Janosch Suelzer were just behind him. The latter two together with Torben Plate won the men’s C1 U23 team event, ahead of teams from Czech Republic and Great Britain. Anže Urankar, Tim Novak and Simon Oven (SLO) were the best in K1M team event, followed by Belgian and British teams. In women’s U23 team event only two teams took part. Czech team with Barbora Bayerova, Karolina Paloudova and Gabriela Satkova crossed the finish line with a better time than team of Great Britain.