From seasoned stars to new prospects, paddlers from across the globe are set for the first International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in the Olympic and Paralympic LA28 cycle.
Excitement is at an all-time high as the world’s elite gather in Milan for the ultimate showdown from August 20 to 24.
More than 800 athletes from nearly 70 nations will be in action as the famous Idroscalo Regatta Course hosts the flagship event for the third time.
The biggest star in Milan is undoubtedly New Zealand’s Lisa Carrington, an eight-time Olympic champion.
Having initially planned to sit out the season, the 36-year-old steps in to replace fellow Paris 2024 gold medallist Olivia Brett, sidelined through injury.
The Kiwis also have Aimee Fisher, the only New Zealander to medal at the season-opening ICF Canoe Sprint World Cups of the season, to look up to.
Italy’s hopes rest on Paris 2024 silver medallists Gabriele Casadei and Carlo Tacchini.
Casadei will be high on confidence after two titles at the ICF Junior and U23 World Championships in Montemor-o-Velho in July.
Christian Volpi, fresh from his World Cup bronze and European silver, targets a world medal on home waters.
Brahim Guendouz, the Paris 2024 KL3 Paralympic champion, lines up for his first major competition since his triumph in France.
With Australian Dylan Littlehales also in the mix, it could be an interesting battle.
Brazil’s charge is spearheaded by the energetic Fernando Rufino de Paulo, while Great Britain, among the strongest teams in the discipline, have superstars Laura Sugar and Charlotte Henshaw in their arsenal.
In the men’s KL1, Hungary’s reigning Paralympic champion Peter Kiss will be out for revenge after losing out to Brazil’s Luis Carlos Cardoso Da Silva in Poznan.
Olympic gold medallists Martin Fuksa and Josef Dostal will lead the Czech fight, while Saman Soltani and Iliya Nadernejad are the ICF refugee athletes who will be in action in Milan.
Among the standout performers of the season was Polish star Anna Pulawska, who won gold and silver medals at the World Cups.
Hungarian Balint Kopasz has been sensational in the K1 1000m, although South African Hamish Lovemore pushed him all the way in Szeged.
Lovemore, who bagged two silver medals in Canoe Marathon at The World Games 2025, looks like he will continue adding to his tally.
Adam Varga, Agnes Anna Kiss, Bianka Nagy and Katalin Csorba, are among the other challengers, meaning Hungary have all the chances to climb to the top of the medals table.
The ever-reliable Katie Vincent of Canada bagged three gold medals to kick-start the season.
Viktoriia Yarchevska, however, will be keen to continue her form in the women’s canoe single 200m. The Ukrainian-born 20-year-old, who competes for Spain, upset Olympic champion Vincent in Poznan.
The men’s K4 will be worth the wait as Hungary and Germany look set to go into battle. Germany have been dominant in the event with the world title in 2023, followed by back-to-back World Cup crowns, and culminated with the Olympic gold in Paris.
But in Szeged this year, that streak ended with the quartet of Mark Opavszky, Bence Fodor, Gergely Balogh, and Zsombor Akos Tamasi clinching a famous triumph.
Strong participation from the ICF’s Talent Identification Programme adds the final touch, as all signs point toward a spectacular World Championships in Milan.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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