Czech paddlers picked up three gold medals on their home course on the second day of competition at the 2020 ECA Canoe Slalom European Championships in Prague.

With four available gold medals of the day, three went to Czech hands. Gabriela Satkova is the new European champion in women’s canoe, and Jiri Prskavec took the gold in men’s kayak event. In team races the Czech Republic took the top podium position in women’s canoe and France was the best in men’s kayak.

Jiri Prskavec was considered the main favourite for the European Champion title in Prague – Troja and he did not disappoint his fans. It was an exciting men’s kayak final but the knowledge of a home course was an advantage for Prskavec, who was half a second faster than Peter Kauzer at the end. Kauzer, who is two times European Champion, won one of his titles two years ago in Prague and Prskavec was third on that occasion.

The bronze medal went to the hands of another former European champion Mateusz Polaczyk from Poland, who was the best kayaker of the old continent in 2017.

“It’s a special feeling. This is actually the first big race I won at home,"  Prskavec said.

"Before the start I was talking to Peter and telling him, Peter you cannot win Europeans in Prague for the second time in a row, and he told me you have to try hard to beat me. When I finished and was first I saw Peter was waiting for me. It was funny moment.

"I couldn’t afford any more mistakes in my final run. I didn’t have a good flow in gates six to nine, I had big waves and I think I lost some time there. Then it was going well, but any more mistakes it would have cost me the win.”

Teenager Gabriela Satkova produced the best final run to win her first senior European champion title, beating her teammate Tereza Fišerova for 0.30 seconds in the women's C1. French canoeist Lucie Prioux was third. 

“It such a special and magical feeling. I have so many emotions it’s hard to describe it," Satkova said.

It’s amazing. It was hard to wait in the finish, because I did not know what to expect. I knew I did big mistakes, so I did not know if it going to be enough or not. Fortunately other girls also did mistakes. The course was pretty hard for the European Championships, it challenges every athlete.”

In the afternoon team races in women’s canoe and men’s kayak were on the programme. Gabriela Satkova won her second gold medal of the day together with Tereza Fišerova and Tereza Kneblova in women’s C1 team event, Slovenia finished second and France third. 

France celebrated with the gold medal in men’s kayak team event. They were a second and a half faster than Czech team, while Switzerland finished third. 

On Sunday women’s kayak and men’s canoe semifinals, finals and team races are scheduled.
Liveresults: https://siwidata.com/canoelive/ - /live/eca/1374