The new season is well and truly up and paddling with canoeists and kayakers making a big splash in Szeged.
As expected, the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Cup opener delivered a fantastic programme of races.
New talents emerged, Olympic stars collided, and captivating stories were told over the past three days.
The ICF picks out five things we learned from the first Canoe Sprint World Cup of the season.
Click here for all the results from Szeged
From Ukraine to Spain, a new star is born on big stage
If you hadn’t heard Viktoriia Yarchevska’s name before this weekend, then you do now.
All eyes were on Canada’s Katie Vincent, the Olympic gold medallist, when they lined up for the women’s canoe single 200m.
But in the end it was Yarchevska who everyone was talking about.
Aged just 20 years old, Yarchevska showed great power as she stormed ahead and impressively kept her form to seal gold.
It was not the first major medal for Yarchevska having clinched world canoe double mixed 500m bronze last year.
But the Ukrainian-born paddler, who has been competing for Spain since 2023, looks ready to kick on after her breakthrough success in Szeged.
It was one of three World Cup golds achieved by Spain in a 12-strong medal haul - only bettered by hosts Hungary.
The other goals came from Joan Antoni Moreno and Diego Dominguez and the impressive Spanish women’s kayak four team.
We Love K1 and we want More
You could not have asked for a better field of athletes lining up for the men’s K1 1000m final.
With six of the eight Olympic finalists on the start-line it promised to be the race of the World Cup and it delivered.
Czechia’s Josef Dostal, Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta and Hungarian duo Balint Kopasz and Adam Varga were poised to battle it out for the title, but it was South Africa’s Hamish Lovemore that almost pulled off a sensational victory.
Located in lane one, Lovemore threw everything at it in his bid for glory.
It was a thrilling race as Lovemore pushed for the line only to be pipped to the finish by Kopasz.
Lovemore missed out on the crown but came away with his first World Cup medal and will hope to continue to make positive strides in 2025.
Poland’s Anna Pulawska will certainly be in love with the K1 and will want more after achieving two gold medal, winning over 200m and 500m.
Cancer survivor Vold wins against the odds
Six years ago, Norway’s Jon Amund Vold was faced with the biggest battle of his life. Diagnosed with leukaemia, Vold found himself in a dark place as he underwent chemotherapy.
But thanks to his brother Lars Christian Vold matching the tissue needed to be a blood donor, Vold was able to make a successful recovery against all the odds.
At that stage, the thought of returning to high-level competition let alone winning an international medal felt far away as he began his endurance training again.
But Vold is clearly made of stern stuff as he pulled off a sensational recovery to strike gold in Szeged.
The emotions on his face said it all as he celebrated a phenomenal victory in the men’s K1 5000m.
“It’s a really good thing that the cancer is behind me and I can close that chapter,” said Vold.
“Now I am back and hopefully I can get more medals.”
Hungary mean business on home water
Hungarian fans had plenty of reasons to cheer as the home paddlers delivered success.
A total of 20 medals were won by the hosts, including seven golds, five silvers and eight bronzes.
One of the most impressive showings came in the men’s K1 500m as Hungary ended Germany’s unbeaten streak that had run for almost two years.
Hungary had two teams on the podium, underlining their strength in depth.
Kopasz was among the other Hungarian gold medallists, winning the men’s K1 1000m, while Adam Varga clinched the men’s K1 500m crown.
Agnes Anna Kiss, Bianka Nagy and Zsofia Katalin Csorba all came away with two golds each.
Kiss and Nagy emerged victorious from the women’s C2 500m final before helping Hungary win women’s canoe four 500m gold.
Csorba was also part of that winning crew and overcame difficult weather conditions to seal the women’s C1 5000m title.
Mark Opavszky was another double gold medal-winner for the hosts, having been a member of Hungary’s triumphant men’s K4 500m team and won in the men’s K2 500m with Levente Kurucz.
Fuksa is showing no signs of slowing up
After achieving your Olympic dream, you could be forgiven for taking your foot off the gas and prolonging your party.
But Czechia’s Martin Fuksa was in no mood to ease off as he put down the accelerator in a dominant performance in Szeged.
The Olympic gold medallist in the men’s C1 1000m proved to be a class above the rest, powering to a comfortable victory.
While Fuksa maintained his place at the top of the podium, other Olympic champions had to settle for minor medals.
Czechia’s Josef Dostal picked up a bronze in the men’s K1 1000m and another in the men’s K1 500m - an event he is world champion in.
Vincent did clinch the gold in the women’s C1 500m but in her favourite 200m distance, where she is the Olympic gold medallist, she missed out on a medal by 0.01.
Two-time Olympic champion Mengya Sun also left Szeged without gold - a medal she is so used to achieving with her teammate Shixiao Xu.
Without Xu, Sun had to settle with silver in both the women’s C2 500m and women’s C4 500m.
There were also no golds for the German and New Zealand K4 teams.
Germany earned silver, while New Zealand, who were without the great Lisa Carrington, did not make the podium.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cups can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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