Germany’s Ricarda Funk will headline a strong German line-up this weekend as the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup returns to Augsburg for its third stop of the series.
Racing on home water at the iconic Eiskanal, Funk will be chasing further success in front of a partisan crowd at a venue steeped in slalom history.
The Olympic champion and four-time world champion already boasts an impressive 31 World Cup medals in her career and will be looking to add to that tally on familiar waters where she has often delivered some of her strongest performances.
Click here for live startlists and results from Augsburg
Funk captured the women’s kayak crown at the 2022 World Championships in Augsburg and secured the overall kayak cross title at last year’s World Cup Final there.
That kayak cross performance came two days after the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a place in the K1 final, a result that ultimately cost her the World Cup Series title in the event.
While Funk has already claimed two medals in the opening rounds of the season – across both kayak cross events - she is still searching for K1 success and will be hoping to find her rhythm in front of a home crowd once again.
A total of 239 athletes will race the iconic Eiskanal venue in Augsburg, Germany.
Located in the Bavarian region of Germany, the Eiskanal is one of the sport’s most iconic venues and the host of Canoe Slalom’s Olympic debut in 1972, and has hosted a record 26 World Cup legs, making it a natural stage for a home favourite to shine.
Joining Funk on the water will be a strong German contingent, including fellow Olympic medallists Noah Hegge, Sideris Tasiadis and Andrea Herzog.
Despite missing out on medals at the opening two events, the home athletes will look to harness the energy of the home crowd to turn their fortunes around this weekend.
Australia’s Jessica Fox comes into the weekend in outstanding form after claiming double gold in Prague with victories in both the women’s K1 and C1, making her one of the key athletes to watch.
For Czechia, last weekend’s men’s K1 champion Jakub Krejci bolsters the travelling squad, but Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Jiri Prskavec is absent following a change in selection.
Ziga Lin Hocevar of Slovenia continues his campaign and is set for another showdown with reigning Olympic and world champion Nicolas Gestin of France.
The pair’s friendly rivalry has been an unmissable addition to the paddling action, with spectators eager to see who will come out on top this time around.
For the other half of the Hocevar siblings, Eva Alina Hocevar will be searching for the podium once again, after placing fourth in the women’s C1 final in Prague, with Eiskanal expert Kimberely Woods of Great Britain keeping her from her third medal of the series.
Woods’ shocked audiences last time out in Augsburg by capturing double gold, and heads into this fixture with two bronze medals from the World Cup Series so far.
The British paddler stepped on the podium in both Prague and Tacen, in the women’s C1 and kayak cross individual, respectively, but will be hungry for her first gold of the series on a course that has brought her so much success in the past.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Augsburg can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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