Italian and Slovenian paddlers dominated last weekend's I Feel Slovenia Canoe Slalom Cup Tacen 2025, which also served as an International Canoe Federation World Ranking event.
The upset of the race came in the men's kayak as 19-year-old Xabier Ferrazzi bested Paris 2024 Olympic champion Giovanni de Gennaro.
Ferrazzi secured the title with a clean run in 79.09, 2.79 faster than his compatriot De Gennaro, with Slovenian Tine Kancler taking bronze in 82.22.
In the women's K1, Stefanie Horn got the better of fellow Italian Francesca Malaguti in 88.61. Eva Alina Hocevar ensured the bronze medal went to the hosts in 92.59.
Hocevar changed the colour of her medal to gold in the women's canoe final, finishing in 95.20 and beating Italian Marta Bertoncelli to silver by 1.57.
French paddler Doriane Delassus took third place in 98.13, almost three seconds behind Hocevar.
In the men's C1, Ziga Lin Hocevar cruised to victory by 2.79 ahead of compatriot and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Benjamin Savsek, who clocked 86.61.
Matija Marinic of Croatia rounded off the final podium place in 86.68.
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Brazil dominate in Piraju
Brazil put on a show as Piraju hosted another ICF World Ranking event over the weekend.
Apart from Argentinians Nerea Castiglione and Matias Contreras and Andraz Echeverria Olguin of Chile, all medals went Brazil's way.
Beatriz Da Motta led the clean sweep for Brazil in the women's C1, finishing in 128.66, followed by silver and bronze medallists Omira Estacia Neta and Sofia Daniela.
In the men's C1, Charles Correa was the fastest among the lot as Brazil picked up all podium spots again.
Correa crossed the line in 101.59, followed by Kaua Da Silva and Henrique Augusto De Souza.
Estacia Neta added to her tally as she won the K1 final in 103.71, with silver going to Castiglione in 136.33. Another Brazilian Milena Sofia won bronze in 144.38.
Guilherme Mapeli, with a timing of 91.79 secured another title for Brazil in the men's K1, followed by compatriots Pedro Goncalves and Murillo Sorgetz.
Estacia Neta won her second gold medal of the competition in the women's kayak cross while Olguin took the men's title.
Haneda wins as Japan rule the roost in Kasai
Japanese paddlers were a cut above the rest, securing all podium spots at the ICF World Ranking event in Kasai.
Leading the charge was Rio 2016 Olympic medallist Takuya Haneda, who won the men’s C1 title. in 96.87.
The 37-year-old had a gate touch but did enough to edge compatriots Shota Saito and Manato Nakajima.
Yusuke Muto was more than two seconds faster than Yu Mishima in the men’s K1, winning gold in 89.69. Kosuke Saito clinched bronze in 93.47.
Haruka Okazaki dominated the women’s C1, winning the title. Despite a gate touch, the Paris 2024 Olympian and Asian Games bronze medallist won by almost 30 seconds ahead of Teruka Miyakoda in second and almost 55 seconds ahead of bronze medallist Hanon Tanaka.
Aki Yazawa was the fastest in the women's K1, clocking 101.88 for the title with Masumi Ochi and Momoka Nagasu taking silver and bronze, respectively.
Photo by Nina Jelenc
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