Slovenia denied France a second kayak teams gold with a dramatic victory at the International Canoe Federation Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Krakow, Poland.
A mere 0.03 seconds was the difference between agony and ecstasy as Slovenia snatched gold from France to retain the men’s junior kayak teams crown.
France enjoyed success in the men’s U23 kayak teams, while Spain triumphed in the men’s U23 kayak teams and Czechia captured the women’s junior kayak teams title.
Click here for live startlists and results from Krakow
It was a thrilling day of action as teams of three paddlers worked together in a bid to come out on top.
The men’s U23 kayak teams featured a stacked field with the likes of Great Britain’s Sam Leaver, Czechia’s Matyas Novak, Italy’s Xabier Ferrazzi and France’s Martin Cornu leading their respective nations.
France emerged victorious as Cornu combined with Mewen Debliquy and Titouan Estanguet to seal top spot in 85.39.
Italy’s Ferrazzi , Michele Pistoni and Gabriele Grimandi clinched silver in 86.20 with Czechia’s Novak, Michal Kopecek and Martin Rudorfer earning bronze in 86.33.
“It feels amazing,” said Debliquy.
“It’s the first time in the team with Titouan and me and the second time for Martin. We had never won gold together so this is the best way to start and we are just really happy.
“We had to beat the British team after losing to them last time so we are so happy to put down this run, be confident and stay with the flow. It was perfect.”
France had high hopes of delivering a second gold medal of the day in the men’s junior kayak teams.
Theo Chetoui, Liam Le Touze and Leo Roye posted a title on 89.18 move into first position.
But a two-second penalty proved costly as Slovenia’s Tadej Tilinger, Jan Jancar and Svit Konrad clinched victory.
The Slovenian trio were the last to go down the course as they won in 89.15, beating France by the narrowest of margins to retain the crown.
Slovakia’s Dominik Egyhazy, Filip Duda and Matus Egyhazy came second in 89.86.
“It was quite difficult,” said Konrad.
“We were the last team to go down but we just stayed really close to each other.”
Tilinger added: “We were the defending champions we that put extra pressure on us and we started last. We heard the commentator saying that it was only Slovenia that could take the title away from France. I heard that at gate six and thought yes, we will!”
The first gold of the day went to Spain’s Leire Goni, Anna Simona and Haizea Segura in the women’s U23 kayak teams.
They combined for a winning time of 95.46 as Germany’s Paulina Pirro, Antonia Plochmann and Mina Blume secured silver in 97.18.
France’s Iona Martin Laemle, Nina Pesce-Roue and Camille Brugvin claimed bronze in 100.10 including two two-second penalties.
“We are so happy, it’s the first time we did a run with no touch so it was a really good run,” said Goni.
After impressing on the opening day, Czechia added another gold to their collection courtesy of their win in the women’s junior kayak teams.
Barbora Ondrackova, Valentyna Kocirova and Lucie Vaculova produced a superb clean run to take the title in 96.93.
Germany’s Nova Mueller, Neele Kreche and Britta Jung incurred three two-second penalties but still grabbed a silver medal in 103.49.
Slovakia’s Karolina Abrahamova, Zara Zahorska and Petra Soskova bagged bronze in 105.10 with one two-second penalty.
“It was such a good run ,so we are so, so happy,” said Ondrackova.
“It was amazing and this was our first time paddling together. We have only had one training but the positions really suit us.”
Full coverage of the ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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