The third stop on the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup Series ended in fantastic fashion with thrilling kayak cross races generating an electric atmosphere in Prague.
There were jubilant scenes when Czech paddler Tereza Kneblova captured the women’s crown, while reigning Olympic champion Finn Butcher secured men’s gold at a sun-kissed Troja course.
Australia’s Jessica Fox and Belgium’s Gabriel De Coster clinched the kayak cross individual titles.
Here’s what the medallists had to say after a thrilling Sunday.
Click here for startlists and live results from Prague
Men’s Kayak Cross
Finn Butcher (NZL – gold)
It’s pretty cool. I had a bit of a slow start to the World Cup in kayak cross. I talked to my coach yesterday of just letting it go and putting any expectations away. Just sending it. I really wanted to approach the kayak cross with no expectations. Sometimes I can get too caught up in the tactics, like what I should be doing or what I need to be doing and then I take too long to make a decision. Prague is my favourite World Cup race, I love coming here, I love racing here. It’s epic to take away a win and it’s my first World Cup win as well. I have been second a few times and got bronze last year but it’s sick to get a gold.
Martin Rudorfer (CZE – silver)
It means so much. It’s the place that you want to deliver in front of the home crowd. The fans were amazing, they delivered so I am really happy with that. They helped me a lot, they were top. I knew that Tereza had won and I was happy for her. It helped me a push hard. It’s my first international medal in the senior category so I’m really happy.
Manuel Ochoa (ESP – bronze)
I’m very happy with that as it’s my second medal of the season. It will give me good points for the World Cup rankings, so I am very happy for this. Also, it’s my second consecutive medal here in Prague. I won last year in the Olympic qualifier which made me feel more like home here in Prague and more confident for the rest of the season and feel more ready for the World Championships. I prefer this course. It’s physically hard and my arms are totally shattered.
Women’s Kayak Cross
Tereza Kneblova (CZE – gold)
It’s crazy, I still can’t believe it and it’s hard to process it because there are so many emotions. To do something like this in front of Czech people is something else and I’m so proud of myself that I made such big progress in kayak cross and I hope it will continue in the next races. It’s amazing. To win on my favourite course is something else and the ceremony was crazy, I’ve never felt like that before. I am so speechless. You are so close to the crowd, and you can hear them scream and also feel the heat and everything so it’s something else and really pushes me to the finish line and I’m so glad that I experience this. It was something else. It’s my first World Cup gold so it’s special.
Camille Prigent (FRA – silver)
You never know how it is going to go in kayak cross so I’m really happy. In every run today there were some surprises, but it all went really well. I’m really happy, especially to share the podium with the Czechs as there was a great atmosphere. This is a really different event to the individual, so I know everything starts again from zero. The good thing is that I can keep my spot on the ramp.
Evy Leibfarth (USA – bronze)
I am really happy. Kayak cross is crazy as there are so many really fast, talented girls out there that every heat feels like a final. To make it all the way through to the medal, is really awesome and I’m really happy. I am really happy with how many paddling has been progressing over the season. I definitely put a lot of work in over the winter and it’s fun to see myself learn how to race.
Women’s Kayak Cross Individual
Jessica Fox (AUS – gold)
It was a great run in the kayak cross time-trial. I knew I just needed to send it, attack from top to finish so I’m really happy with that run. It was really long to the finish. It felt quite hard to sprint to the end but happy with how I felt today. I felt I had quite low energy yesterday so it was good to have that juice back in the arms and I felt like I had a full tank of gas. It’s really special when there is a tie and you can have four girls on the podium. It’s a cool moment in sport when those things happen so it was really good to see.
Camille Prigent (FRA – silver)
It’s so cool. The time trial is becoming my thing. I have a lot of medals since we can get some on the time trial and it’s quite exciting to have another opportunity to have a medal every weekend. I have two silvers and one gold now so it’s a good new goal to have the overall title in the time trials.
Sona Stanovska (SLK – bronze)
Of course, I am really happy. It’s a first kayak cross medal for Slovakia so what can I say. I am so, so happy and I have no words right now. The course was pretty nice, even in the training I felt really good but the run to the finish line was quite hard to still have power and push it down but I made it quite nice.
Olga Samkova (CZE – bronze)
I am so proud of myself that I managed to do that and I am so glad that my run went well so I am really happy right now. This is my first World Cup medal so this means a lot to me. When I woke up this morning, I thought this is going to be a good day and it is. I felt really good on the course, I felt strong and it went well. I think the kayak roll was really good so I am really happy with my run. It’s great to have two in the third place.
Men’s Kayak Cross Individual
Gabriel De Coster (BEL – gold)
I really wanted it. I had a really good start to the week on Friday, making a podium in the short slalom race and then yesterday I was given a 50 (second penalty) after the video review. Otherwise, it would have been another podium so I was really hungry for it this morning. This mean a lot to me. I have had some tough years without big results and now I feel like I’m finally back. I only have one gold in 2022 and since then I hadn’t even made a final so I’ve had a really nice week. I feel really confident now. After today, I will take some time off and then get ready for the last two World Cups and the World Championships in Australia.
Jakub Krejci (CZE – silver)
I felt good. I wanted to have some good results here in front of a Czech crowd. I was really sad yesterday. I made a big mistake on the last gate in the Olympic slalom event. I hope it will never happen again. Racing here is crazy, it’s not a feeling we have anywhere else. It’s nice to be in a final and stay in the start blocks, see the stand on the right bank and feel the power from the crowd. It’s really nice here.
Mathurin Madore (FRA – bronze)
I was a little bit anxious as I know there is a medal in the individual but the main goal is to be there in the afternoon race. I tried stay consistent during the race, to find my technique. I felt great. I had some speed in the whole run so I ended up on the podium. It’s been an amazing week and amazing start of the season for France as it was the same in the first World Cup in La Seu. I don’t know what is happening now, I think we have a really good team and I think everything is going well so I’m trying to get some energy to do the same in the cross on the last day of competition.
Photos by Dezső Vékássy
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