Charles Ferrion led the way for France as he bagged a hat-trick of gold medals at the International Canoe Federation Wildwater Canoeing World Cup 3 and 4 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
France captured five titles across the two days of sprint finals with Ferrion helping his country to three of those.
Ferrion overcame compatriot Etienne Klatt to win men’s canoe gold on Saturday before joining forces to secure back-to-back men’s canoe double titles.
Luca Barone and siblings Clare Gaubert and Elsa Gaubert also delivered gold medals for France.
Cecilia Panato helped herself to two women’s C1 crowns in as many days while fellow Italian Leonardo Pontarollo captured the men’s K1 title on Sunday.
There was also a home title for Katarina Kopunova and Petra Soskova, while Czechia’s Anna Retkova, Germany’s Lisa Weber and Serbia’s Pavle Zdravkovic were the other gold medallists in Bratislava.
The first of Ferrion’s three gold medals came on Saturday when he secured the men’s C1 title in 44.21.
It was a French one-two as Klatt registered a time of 45.05 for silver, while the bronze medal went to Switzerland’s Jonah Muller in 45.15.
Later that day, Ferrion and Klatt combined to deliver men’s C2 gold for France after crossing the line first in 45.97.
Czechia’s Cenek Hitha and Filip Kopriva clocked 46.61 for silver, while Switzerland’s Cornel Bretscher and Jonah Muller finished in 46.63 for bronze.
On Sunday, Ferrion and Klatt came out on top again in the men’s C2. This time, the French pair clocked 45.58 for the victory as Slovakia’s Jaromir Ivanecky and Michal Dubovicky came second in 46.28 and Bretscher and Muller sealed bronze in 46.56.
There was more delight for France in the men’s K1 as Barone took top spot in 41.97. Slovenia’s Nejc Znidarcic had to settle for silver in 42.26, while Italy’s Pontarollo earned bronze in 42.83.
Clare Gaubert and Elsa Gaubert won France’s fifth and final gold when they fired their way to the top of the women’s C2 podium with 50.54 on Sunday.
Czechia’s Pavla Jilkova and Marie Nemkova finished in 50.94 for silver, while a time of 51.62 saw home pairing Kopunova and Soskova earn bronze.
Retkova was the first winner in the World Cup double header as she clinched women’s K1 gold in 48.41.
She defeated Lisa Lebouc by a mere 0.02 as the Frenchwoman crossed the finish line in 48.43. Italy’s Panato came third in 48.82.
Panato returned to winning ways in the women’s C1 as she sealed gold in 50.49.
Germany’s Franziska Gawehn bagged silver in 53.04, with Czechia’s Retkova rounding off the podium with a time of 53.73, nudging compatriot Nemcova out of the medal positions.
Slovakia’s only gold medal came on Saturday as Kopunova and Soskova captured the women’s C2 crown with a time of 51.46.
They got the better of French pair Clare Gaubert and Elsa Gaubert who registered 51.99. British siblings Kerry Christie and Emma Christie came third in 51.99
On Sunday, Germany’s Lisa Weber came out on top in the women’s K1 after clocking 47.77.
Italy’s Panato clinched silver in 48.66 and Germany’s Luisa Puttkammer sealed bronze in 48.83.
Panato’s persistence paid off again in the women’s C1 as she took the title in 49.47.
She was the only paddler to dip under the 50-second barrier as Czechia’s Retkova claimed silver in 50.04 and Germany’s Gawehn bagged bronze in 52.94.
The men’s K1 title on Sunday was won by Italy’s Pontarollo in a time of 40.96 as he overcame Slovenia’s Nejc Znidarcic who placed second in 41.53. The bronze medal went to France’s Raphael Bonnard in 42.13.
The men’s C1 field on Sunday featured Slovakia’s two-time Olympic medallist Menus Benus.
He arrived in Bratislava just one day after winning a medal at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Augsburg, Germany.
A time of 48.13 saw Benus finish in 10th position as Serbia’s Zdravkovic stole the show.
The Serbian triumphed in 45.28 as Czechia’s Matej Vanek claimed silver in 45.39 and Ferrion secured bronze in 45.62.
Click here for all the results from Bratislava
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