ICF press release - The world's best canoe sprint athletes set blistering times as they fought for gold in Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal at the first in a series of three 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cups. 

Mark OLDERSHAW (CAN) proved untouchable in the first 'A' final of the day, the C1M 1000m. The 32-year-old led from the front over powering a illustrious field that included multiple-World Champion, Attila VAJDA (HUN).  

Surprisingly for many in the field, the expected late surge from VAJDA never materialised, allowing Vincent SLOMINSKI (POL, silver) and Mathieu GOUBEL (FRA, bronze) to maintain their places on the podium as they reached the 1000m mark.

Fernando PIMENTA (POR) stole the show in the K1M 1000m with an exceptionally quick time in front of a jubilant home support. Australia's Murray STEWART managed to recapture his form to take silver, with Spain's Francisco SÁNCHEZ securing bronze.

Lisa CARRINGTON (NZL) again managed to out accelerate her opponents in the final third of the K1W 500m. The 25-year-old Olympic K1W 200m gold medallist has added endurance to her explosive power, making her a formidable opponent over both distances.

Hungarian duo of Anna KÁRÁSZ and Krisztina FAZEKAS-ZUR followed the New Zealander across the line. For KÁRÁSZ, who took sliver, finishing ahead of FAZEKAS-ZUR could prove to be an important result when the Hungarian selection panel decides on future entries.

Local, Teresa PORTELA (POR), fell just short of the mark, finishing a very respectable fourth.

Another Hungarian duo, this time in the same boat, Sándor TÓTKA and Péter MOLNÁR also put in an impressive performance, winning gold in the K2M 200m. After a good start the pair held on to out sprint Sébastien JOUVE and Maxime BEAUMONT (FRA, silver) and Carlos ARÉVALO and Cristian TORO (ESP, bronze)

Spain's Alfonso AYALA proved the quickest in the C1M 200m. However, the biggest cheer came for local athlete, Helder SILVA, who crossed the line in second place.  China picked up their first medal of the day with Qiang LI ensuring bronze.

Ana LEHACI and Viktoria SCHWARZ (AUT) stopped the clock at 37.336 to take to the top step of the podium in the K2W 200m. Marta WALCZYKIEWICZ and Edyta KIERKLA (POL) were the second team to the line, and Yue LI and Jieyi HUANG collected a second bronze for China.

Kenny WALLACE and Lachlan TAME (AUS) won the K2M 1000m with a  dominant performance. France's Arnaud HYBOIS and Etienne HUBERT put in a late surge that assured them a sliver medal; with local duo, Emanuel SILVA and João RIBEIRO, taking bronze.

Anna KÁRÁSZ teamed up with Ninetta VAD (HUN) in the K2W 500m and won her second medal of the day after silver in the K1W over the same distance. New Zealand's Caitlin RYAN and Aimee FISHER made a late surge that allowed them to edge ahead of Chinese pair, Yu ZHOU and Qing MA.

Canadian duo,  Laurence VINCENT-LAPOINTE and Katie VINCENT rounded out the morning’s 'A" finals with gold in the C2W 200m.

Links

• http://canoesprintportugal.com
• Results
• Live and on demand footage