Czechia is poised to stage its first International Canoe Federation Wildwater Canoeing World Championships in 19 years with Marie Nemcova and Matej Vanek aiming to deliver sprint success on home waters.
A total of 166 paddlers from 25 nations will gather in the Czech city of Ceske Budejovice where they will battle it out for sprint world titles in Wildwater Canoeing from Thursday to Saturday.
It will be the end a long wait for Czechia which last held the ICF flagship event in Wildwater Canoeing in 2006 when Karlovy Vary played host.
One of Czechia’s biggest hopes for a home gold medal is Nemcova who arrives as the two-time defending champion in the women’s kayak single.
Click here for live startlists and results from Ceske Budejovice
After triumphs in 2023 and 2024, Nemcova will seek to complete a K1 sprint hat-trick.
Nemcova will face stiff competition from other Czechs in the field including last year’s silver medallist Kristina Novosadova as well as Klara Vankova and Anna Retkova.
"I am very much looking forward to the atmosphere in Ceske Budejovice,” said Nemcova.
“My family and friends will come to cheer me on.
“I would like to show a performance in front of them that I will be satisfied with – and if it brings a good result, it will be a beautiful bonus.
“I mainly want to enjoy it.”
Vanek is another Czech paddler looking to retain a world title as he goes for glory again the men’s C1 sprint.
He is expected to come up against a strong French challenge from the likes of top ranked Nicolas Sauteur, European champion Charles Ferrion and Theo Viens.
Slovenia will be hoping to continue their dominance in the men’s K1 with Anze Urankar and Nejc Znidarcic ready to lock horns.
Znidarcic, a multiple winner of the men’s K1, will be seeking revenge after coming up short against Urankar last year.
Urankar will be out to make it three world titles on the trot in the event, while Znidarcic will be looking to add world glory to his European crown in 2025.
As well as Nemcova and Urankar, France’s Laura Fontaine will also be going for three in a row as she aims to maintain her grip on the women’s C1 title.
Italy’s Cecilia Panato will be among those hoping to deny Fontaine a hat-trick and will also team up with her sister Alice Panato to go for top honours in the women’s canoe double.
Czech pairings Ondrej Rolenc and Daniel Suchanek, and Vanek and Karel Rasner will bid for home glory in the men’s C2 but will face French resistance from defending champions Corentin Combe and Clement Monjanel and top seeds Sauteur and Viens.
Full coverage of the ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Championships can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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