France will hope to continue its La Seu d’Urgell domination as the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup moves to Pau, France this weekend.
In the first of the five-part series in Spain, Titouan Castryck flew the French Tricolour high by storming to the men's kayak title and will be hungry for more on home waters.
The Paris 2024 K1 silver medallist was runner-up at the European Championships at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium and will face stiff competition from compatriot Anatole Delassus, who finished behind him at the first World Cup.
Pau Echaniz of Spain, Czechia’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Jiri Prskavec, and a rejuvenated Lucien Delfour of Australia will all look to make an impact. Prskavec, who could not start with a bang, will hope for better fortunes in Pau.
In the men's canoe, France’s Nicolas Gestin, the reigning Olympic champion will be the firm favourite, having medalled in Spain and at the European Championships.
But it will not be easy with Great Britain's Adam Burgess in the mix. The Paris 2024 medallist is a man in form, with two spectacular runs in Spain but so was current World Cup leader Luka Bozic of Slovenia.
Bozic's compatriots, Olympic champion Benjamin Savsek and teenager Ziga Lin Hocevar, are certainly capable of coming up with big runs.
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Angele Hug and Camille Prigent will be the women superstars for the home fans to cheer on.
Hug, who triumphed in a chaotic kayak cross final, knows that anything is possible in the event, with the likes of Australian Olympic champion Noemie Fox and Kimberley Woods of Great Britain in the mix.
Prigent, who spoke about the need to be consistent in the World Cup Series after her kayak silver, will hope to upgrade the colour of her medal.
The return of Poland's Klaudia Zwolinska, silver medallist in the event in Paris, will make things interesting.
The women's C1 title will be Jessica Fox's to lose. The legendary paddler from Down Under did have a tough start in the K1 in Spain but came back in style to take the C1 gold medal.
She will look to do a repeat of the Olympic Games, by winning the C1-K1 double.
Spaniards Miren Lazkano and Manuel Ochoa were also among the standout performers in the first World Cup, with the former taking individual kayak cross gold.
A favourite of the athletes, Jonny Dickson of Great Britain, Finn Butcher of New Zealand, and Chinese teenager Hejie Zhang can all provide fireworks in the new medal event.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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