France dominated the men’s podium in Prague as Nicolas Gestin headed a one-two-three for his country in canoe and Titouan Castryck overcame Anatole Delassus in a thrilling kayak showdown.
Five of the six men’s medals went to the French team on a jam-packed day of racing at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup in the Czech capital.
Today also saw Zuzana Pankova of Slovakia and Evy Leibfarth of the United States capture World Cup crowns for the first time, winning the women’s C1 and women’s K1 titles respectively.
Click here for startlists and live results from Prague
The top three in the men’s C1 final were separated by a mere 0.08 as a trio of French paddlers put on a fantastic show in Prague.
Gestin picked up a two-second penalty after touching gate 17 but still produced a stunning time of 94.11 to take the lead.
Fellow Frenchman Yohann Senechault finished 0.08 short of Gestin’s time before Mewen Debliquy, who was last to go after topping the heats, crossed in 94.14.
Debliquy missed out on gold by 0.03 but it completed a French clean sweep with Gestin emerging victorious.
It was Gestin’s first gold medal on the international stage since being crowned Olympic champion in Paris last year.
France enjoyed further success in the men’s K1 as Castryck and Anatole Delassus battled it out.
The pair occupied the top two spots on the podium for the second time this season with Castryck backing up his victory in La Seu with gold in Prague after clocking 86.35.
Delassus, who came second in La Seu and Pau, had to settle for a third successive World Cup silver after falling just over one second short of Castryck’s time.
Italy’s Giovanni De Gennaro claimed bronze in 88.75.
There was a new face at the top of the women’s C1 podium in Pankova as Australia’s Jessica Fox’s winning streak came to an end.
With Fox failing to make the final, Pankova seized her opportunity, triumphing in 103.29.
Slovenia’s Eva Alina Hocevar secured silver in 103.92, with Germany’s Andrea Herzog sealing bronze in 104.91.
Leibfarth was another first-time World Cup winner as she overcame a mid-race wobble to clinch gold.
The American paddler almost rolled over at gate 15 before recovering superbly to finish in a winning time of 97.76.
Camille Prigent added to France’s medal haul with silver after posting 98.48, while Great Britain’s Lois Leaver continued her fine start to the season with bronze in 99.78.
Photos by Dezső Vékássy
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