Canada’s Katie Vincent is set to race four events in four days as she progressed to the final of two of those on the opening day of the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Cup in Poznan, Poland.
Vincent advanced in the women’s canoe single 500m and women’s canoe double 500m today and will compete in the women’s C1 200m and women’s C1 5000m over the next few days.
The reigning Olympic champion came out firing in Poznan, winning her women's C1 500m heat by almost four seconds.
The event also saw the return of Ukraine’s three-time Olympic medallist Liudmyla Luzan who topped her heat, while China’s Yanan Ma posted the fastest time of 2:04.33.
Click here for start lists and results from Poznan
Earlier in the women’s C2 500m, Vincent teamed up with 20-year-old Zoe Wojtyk who is making her senior international debut.
Selected to take her position in the front seat, Wojtyk relished her opportunity to race with Vincent as they posted a time of 1:56.63.
“It was super fun to get out there and put out a good first race together,” said Wojtyk.
“Katie’s a great paddler so it’s super easy to be connected and feel good together.
“She’s so knowledgeable as she’s been in the sport for so long.
“Being one of the younger ones on the team, it’s nice to have an older athlete in the boat.”
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Vincent is no stranger to handling a busy schedule having won the women’s C1 500m, women’s C1 5000m and mixed C2 500m all on the same day at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.
The 29-year-old is set for a final-day women's C1 5000m showdown with Chile’s Maria Mailliard who is the defending world champion.
There were several athletes who had more than one event to focus on today, with New Zealand’s Aimee Fisher and Czechia’s Martin Fuksa advancing over two distances.
Fisher, who triumphed in the women’s kayak single 1000m in Szeged, powered through to the final before advancing to the semi-finals of the women’s K1 500m later in the day.
Home favourite Anna Pulawska, who picked up two gold medals at the first ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup of the season, also impressed over that distance, posting the second quickest time behind Fisher who clocked 1:50.18.
Fuksa was in dominant form in Szeged, cruising to the men’s C1 1000m title, and he picked up from where he left off.
After topping his heat in the men’s C1 500m, Fuksa then crossed the finish line first over 1000m, doing enough to see off China’s Shengyue Wu by 0.18.
The other heats in the men’s C1 1000m were headed by Cuba’s Jose Ramon Pelier Cordova and Italians Gabriele Casadei and Carlo Tacchini.
Czechia’s reigning Olympic champion Josef Dostal won his men’s K1 1000m heat to make it through to the semi-final.
Dostal, who picked up two bronze medals in Szeged, changed his race strategy as he hit the front rather than coming from behind to post 3:32.54 but he was not happy with his performance.
“As I was racing in one event today, the goal was to be in the front with the guys from the beginning and stay with them and push a little bit,” said Dostal.
“They were quite fast, so it was not a good strategy. I have pain right now and I know I can do better than this.”
Other notable performances in the men’s K1 1000m heats came from Argentina’s Agustin Vernice and Germany’s Jakob Thordsen who posted 3:29.75 and 3:29.53, respectively.
In the kayak four 500m, the Hungarians continue to showcase their strength in depth, with two teams securing direct qualification to the men’s final.
Mark Opavszky, Bence Fodor, Gergely Balogh and Zsombor Akos Tamasi posted the quickest time with 1:20.34, overcoming reigning Olympic and world champions Germany once again.
In the previous heat, Hungary’s Bence Nadas, Zalan Imre Hidvegi, Hunor Tamas Hidvegi and Gergo Zoltan Keller enjoyed smooth progression to the final in 1:21.54 while the Chinese crew also impressed to take the other heat in 1:21.91
Germany got the better of Hungary in the women’s K4 500m, edging them by 0.14 after finishing in a time of 1:32.23.
The Olympic silver medallists have added a new member to the crew, with Hannah Spielhagen taking her place alongside Paulina Paszek, Jule Marie Hake and Pauline Jagsch.
“It felt very good, just the flow and everything,” said Spielhagen.
“It was near to perfect.
“It’s only our second competition together.
“We had a selection this year and it went very well for me so that’s how I got into the K4.
“I am the new one this year but I don’t feel it, it’s like a big family.”
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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