A new-look canoe sprint program has attracted strong support from the sport’s best athletes after the first day of competition in Barnaul, Russia, on Friday.

Athletes took part in a random-draw mixed K2 and C2 race over 100 metres, with the K2 gold going to Poland’s Marta Walczykiewicz and Russia’s Kirill Lyapunov, while Russians Andrey Kraytor and Olesia Romasenko delighted the Siberian crowd with victory in the C2.

“It was new, it was a fun experience, but we really had to fight,” Kraytor said.

“It was a bit difficult, because we both paddle from the same side. It was amazing paddling in front of the home crowd.

“I’m really happy that we have this new format, and we have it here with my home club. It’s important for the whole region to have this event here. It’s a big chance to grow the sport with our kids.”

Many of the athletes came to Barnaul after competing in a Pre-Super Cup in Linyi, China, earlier in the week.

Walczykiewicz said it was important to stay focussed.

“It was a lot of fun, and very fast,” the 2016 Olympic silver medallist said.

“This was the first time we had done mixed K2, it was amazing. Maybe next year we will do it again.”

The Sprint Super Cup continues on Saturday with individual K1 and C1 races over 350 metres.

Mixed C2 Barnaul 2018

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