Canoe Sprint

Date of reckoning for canoe sprint athletes

It has been the race of reference for Canoe Sprint athletes and enthusiasts all over the world, and even before the starting gun has gone off at the 2011 Canoe Sprint World Championships, records have already been broken. Szeged a city that has canoeing intertwined in its history, and is renowned for its passion for the sport and its celebrity canoeists.

They will host athletes from a whopping 94 countries, and a massive number of paracanoe athletes, 74 in total, have registered to compete this week; it is the first time the event will be recognized as a paraolympic sport. The venue of the Championships is the glorified Maty-ér Regatta Course, it is acknowledged to be one of the best, courses in the world, and is a firm favourite among many of canoeing’s elite. This event is organized by the Szeged Organising Committee and it kicks off this Wednesday 17 August, concluding on Sunday 21 August.

“We got entries even in the last minute, it will be an incredible competition at the Maty-ér regatta course,” said Gábor Schmidt, chair of the Organising Committee. “International canoeing sport is going through its most dynamic phase of development as proven by the incredible number of entries in the women’s discipline. Based on the latest information, in the K-1 200m event, 55 nations have entered their competitors which is an outstanding number of entries and would have been unimaginable a few years ago. I would not claim though that only the Olympic events are popular among participants as proven by 44 competitors entering men’s K-1 500m.”

The first senior World Championships of the season, the 2011 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships IN Szeged, promises to pull out all the stops. Having only won the right to host the event after the original hosts Vichy pulled out last year, the Organising Committee has declared itself ready to stage the biggest show that the canoeing world has ever seen. Several months of planning have gone into preparing a championship event fitting for champions, and one that precedes all others, because for many nations, Szeged 2011 will also serve as a qualification competition for London 2012. This week for some athletes represents the beginning or the end of a dream to compete at the Olympic Games.

In Hungary, canoeing athletes are likened to Hollywood celebrities, names like Natasa Janics, Katalin Kovacs, Attila Vajda have cast a spell on the canoe loving country and this week at the Canoe Sprint World Championships promises to deliver both glamour and sporting wizardry.

Who to watch

The results from the World Cups have been consistent and it is hard to foresee any major surprises. Howver, it is worth noting that Natasia Janics (HUN), the three-time Olympic Champion, is expecting a baby, as is Katrin Wagner-Augustin of Germany, so neither of them will be competing in this year’s World Championships. With only a handful of training sessions, Katalin Kovács Katalin (HUN) will be back competing in the K2 200m event with her new partner Tamara Csipes, with whom she won the 2011 European Championships. But who comes out on top this weekend is anybody’s guess, and here are a few paddlers to look out for:

Men’s Kayak

In the Olympic Disciplines Great Britain’s Edward McKeever came off an impressive run in 2010, and landed on the top spot on the podium in 2011 by winning both of the World Cups he took part in this season. His challengers in Szeged should be few, even though he will be looking out for Piotr Siemionowski (POL) who has almost as may points in the ICF Ranking. Rene Holten Poulsen (NOR) shares the top spot with McKeever and has been able to tame the upward surging Belarusian , Aleh Yurenia by claiming the latter’s 1000m position. Poulsen finished 1st in both Racice and Duisburg, leaving Yurenia with only one World Cup victory in the season opener in Poznan. With Nevertheless, Yurenia sits a comfortable (joint) 3rd Place on the ICF Ranking with Eirik Larsen (SWE). Adam Van Koeverden (CAN) another contender for the 1000m event also rests a comfortably 6th place. With Tim Brabants (GBR) will not be contesting in the K1 event at the Championships, but Ken Wallace (AUS) will as will the ever competitive Ronald Rauhe (GER).

Women’s Kayak

The season has so far played to Women’s K1 200m Nicole Reinhardt (GER) tune, she has been the most consistent of the ladies this season and has stood on the podium at every World Cup she took part in, not surprisingly she leads the ICF Ranking in Women’s Kayak. Alana Nicholls has also seen some great success this season and she will be one to look out for along with Natalia Lobova (RUS) and Teresa Portela (POR), who won the 200m event in Racice but has struggled a bit on the single boat races this year. While the Qualifying Queen Inna Osypenko-Radomska (UKR) has on two occasions just fallen short of a podium place, nobody will be surprised if she uses these Championships to seal her place in London.

Men’s Canoe

Sebastien Brendel (GER) is probably the hardest working man on the circuit this year, competing in several categories and events this season it is the C1 1000m that he has made his mark. Sitting at the top of the ICF Ranking, he will be closely challenged by Vadim Menkov (UZB) Mark Oldershaw (CAN). Ivan Shtyl (RUS) has probably been the most consistent winning the two 200m finals he raced in. In this category is Attila Vajda (HUN) is the defending Champion that will be looking to maintain his position and crown on his home turf where the entire Hungarian team will benefit from home team support.

Team Events

In the team events, Belarus overwhelmingly go into the Championships as the favourites having won the Women’s K2 200m and Women’s K4 500m and1000m event. Similarly the men showed great class in the K4 1000m, winning in Racice and taking 3rd Place in Poznan. Germany will also be looking to flex some muscle as will Russia and Poland who sit 3rd and 4th Place on the ICF Ranking.

Eurosport, BBC, Rai Sport and many other channels will be televising the World Championships LIVE. Five days of excitement are planned around the Championships and spectators are expected to come out in their droves to support their favourite athletes and sport.

USEFUL LINKS

• Event Website: www.szeged2011.com
• ICF Website: www.canoeicf.com
• ICF Facebook (picture gallery): www.facebook.com/internationalcanoefederation