Multiple world champions Dane Jackson of the United States and Ottilie Robinson-Shaw of Great Britain are among a stellar cast of Canoe Freestyle paddlers determined to capture global crowns in Plattling, Germany.
The Bavarian town will play host to the much-anticipated International Canoe Federation Canoe Freestyle World Championships from June 16 to 21.
Known as a hotspot for Canoe Freestyle in Europe, Plattling’s Isar Wave will stage the World Championships for the second time having last held the competition in 2011.
Click here for startlists and live results from Plattling
Among the stars on show will be kayaking great Jackson who is aiming to win a sixth men’s kayak world title and fourth in succession.
Jackson has topped the podium in the men’s kayak for five of the past six editions of the World Championships, with only Spain’s Joaquim Fontane I Maso breaking his sequence of victories in 2017.
Another gold medal will see Jackson move on to 10 senior world titles overall.
The 31-year-old headlines a strong US team that features his father Eric Jackson and older sister Emily Jackson, who are both past world champions in the kayak.
Other US stars determined to emerge victorious are two-time women’s squirt gold medallist Rose Wall, and 2023 men’s squirt gold medallist Taft Sibley.
Last year saw Plattling stage back-to-back ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cups.
Great Britain’s Robinson-Shaw starred in Plattling 12 months ago as she celebrated an emotional comeback to the international stage.
At the 2023 World Championships in Columbus, US, the 23-year-old defended her women’s canoe decked crown and picked up silver medals in the women’s squirt and women’s kayak.
But disaster struck when she dislocated her shoulder, forcing her to undergo surgery which cast doubts over her future.
Robinson-Shaw refused to give up on the sport she loves as she returned to World Cup glory last year and will be bidding for success in the kayak, canoe and squirt in Plattling.
Rebekah Green, Tamsyn McConchie and Harry Price are other world medallists in the British team.
Home hopes will rest on Philip Josef who is the 2022 men’s open canoe champion and 19-year-old Tim Rees who will step into the men’s kayak senior category after delivering back-to-back junior world titles for Germany.
France’s Tom Dolle, Canada’s Nick Troutman, Spain’s Fontane and American Jordan Poffenberger are the other senior world champions in the list of participants.
More than 229 athletes from 24 nations from all five continents will compete in Plattling with Kenya and India represented for the first time.
Plattling will also stage the fiirst-ever official ICF Masters Canoe Freestyle World Championships here with 17 female and 24 male paddlers participating in the age categories of +40,+50 and +60 representing 15 nations from four continents.
As a side event, the Germany town will hold the Cadet International Open with three female and 10 athletes taking part.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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