Germany’s Paulina Paszek and Pauline Jagsch thrilled the home crowd in Brandenburg by winning women’s kayak double 500m gold at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup.
One week after their victory in Szeged, Paszek and Jagsch produced another outstanding performance to secure back-to-back World Cup titles, crossing the line in 1:49.91.
Australia’s Kailey Harlen and Natalia Drobot battled hard from lane two to take silver in 1:51.47, while Italy’s Lucrezia Zironi and Giada Rossetti edged Poland’s world champions Martyna Klatt and Anna Puławska for bronze in 1:51.48.
“It was a really nice feeling with all the people here cheering for us, it was something really special,” said Paszek.
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“The crowd really helped us in the last 500 metres.”
Hungary later turned the tables on Germany by claiming men’s K4 500m gold.
Just one week after the disappointment of losing to Germany on home waters in Szeged, Levente Kurucz and Bence Fodor responded by securing victory in their rivals’ backyard.
Germany’s Max Rendschmidt and Tom Liebscher-Lucz were aiming to replicate the success enjoyed by compatriots Jacob Schopf and Max Lemke in Szeged, but the Hungarians proved too strong.
Kurucz and Fodor crossed the line first in 1:35.77, ahead of Rendschmidt and Liebscher-Lucz, who took silver in 1:36.18. Australia’s Pierre van der Westhuyzen and Jean van der Westhuyzen claimed bronze in 1:36.64.
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“It was a very hard race, we are really tired but we got the win,” said Fodor.
“We wanted to win this race against Germany because we lost at home to them last week in Szeged, so we tried to gain revenge.
“It’s really motivating for us to get two good results in these two World Cups.”
Ukraine’s Liudmyla Luzan produced another dominant performance to strike gold in the women’s canoe single 200m.
Luzan looked unstoppable as she powered to victory in 47.70, underlining her supremacy in the event.
Canada’s Sophia Jensen delivered an impressive performance from lane two to take silver in 48.45, while Cuba’s Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys secured bronze in 48.70.
In the other Olympic event, Spain’s Adrian Sieiro and Daniel Grijalba executed their race plan to perfection to win a thrilling men’s canoe double 500m final.
AIN-A paddlers Zakhar Petrov and Ivan Shtyl set the early pace before the Spaniards fought their way back into contention.
Sieiro and Grijalba pulled through to win in 1:47.75, narrowly defeating Petrov and Shtyl, who crossed in 1:47.98 for silver.
Hungary’s Daniel Fejes and Jonatan Daniel Hajdu completed the podium with bronze in 1:48.46.
“It was incredible,” said Grijalba.
“From the start to the finish we did a very good job. When we crossed the line, I didn’t know what position we were in, so we are very happy to win.
“We were fourth at the first World Cup in Szeged, so it gives us a lot of joy to win gold here. It’s an honour to compete with athletes of such a high level.”
In the non-Olympic events, China and Hungary each collected two gold medals, while Australia, Denmark and Sweden also topped the podium.
China held off Hungary to win the women’s canoe four 500m title by just 0.21 seconds.
Shuqi Li, Li Yang, Mengya Sun and Yanan Ma dug deep to prevail in 1:56.03, with Hungary taking silver in 1:56.24.
China also secured bronze in 1:58.57 to complete the podium.
A gripping women’s K1 200m final ended in victory for China’s Mengdie Yin, who crossed the line in 42.97.
Yin edged Denmark’s Frederikke Hauge Moercke by 0.20 seconds, with the Dane taking silver in 43.17. Ukraine’s Ivanna Dyachenko earned bronze in 43.21.
Australia’s Thomas Green followed the success of Jean van der Westhuyzen by winning gold in the men’s kayak single 500m.
Green was a convincing winner in 1:44.05, while Germany’s Jacob Schopf battled hard to secure silver in 1:45.29.
Hungary’s Bence Nádas edged compatriot Ádám Varga for bronze in 1:45.20.
“The conditions here have been quite tough, so it’s good to keep performing and I’m really happy to win,” said Green.
“We have had a very good World Cup one and World Cup two, so we just need to stay focused and keep going.”
The day concluded with a Hungarian double in the women’s and men’s C1 5000m races.
Zsófia Katalin Csorba dug deep to beat Chile’s María José Mailliard by 0.75 seconds and continue her winning streak.
The Hungarian claimed victory in 28:50.49, with Mailliard taking silver in 28:51.24 and Moldova’s Elena Glizan earning bronze in 29:06.86.
“It wasn’t a clear win this time, it was really hard,” said Csorba.
“Maria put up a really hard fight, so I am pleased I came out on top.”
There was more delight for Hungary as Balázs Adolf stormed to victory in the men’s C1 5000m in 24:27.96.
Spain’s Jaime Duro, winner in Szeged last week, took silver in 24:40.10, while Moldova secured another bronze through Serghei Tarnovschi in 24:43.81.
Denmark’s Mads Brandt Pedersen bounced back from defeat to Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta at the previous World Cup with an emphatic victory in the men’s K1 5000m.
The Dane proved too strong for Pimenta this time, cruising to the title in 21:45.97.
Pimenta secured silver in 22:16.71, while South Africa’s Hamish Lovemore took bronze in 22:27.37.
“I feel pretty good now,” said Pedersen.
“Last weekend in Szeged, I finished second, so I wanted to come here and get first position, which feels better.
“I spent some time at home training with my coach and two training partners, so that was perfect.
“It was a great crowd, so I’m happy to be here and win too.”
Sweden’s Melina Andersson overcame illness to win women’s K1 5000m gold.
Andersson claimed victory in 24:33.75, ahead of Hungary’s Emese Kohalmi, who took silver in 24:59.79, while AIN-B athlete Uladzislava Skryhanava earned bronze in 25:05.76.
“I woke up feeling a bit sick, so I was scared to start, but I felt better throughout the race,” said Andersson.
“I did think maybe I shouldn’t race because I’m sick, but with this new way of qualifying for the Olympics, and when you have a small team, you have got to go.”
Pictures by Tom-Lucas Hinz
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