Canoe Slalom

Hoskova claims second-ever C1 Women’s Gold at Slalom Worlds

It seems only fitting that the only athlete to lay down a clean run won the gold medal in the second every C1 Women's Canoe Slalom World Championship. Katerina Hoskova (CZE) posted a winning time of 138.58.

The next fastest times, both with 4-second penalties were Nanqin Cen (CHN) whose 140.13 earned silver. Katerina Macova (SVK) missed out on silver by a mere 0.11 seconds and had to settle for bronze.

Hoskova beamed as she talked to reporters in the media mix zone. Perhaps too excited by today's victory to remember precise details like dares, Hoskova noted noted the Cunova course has been good to her in the past as the scene of another World title, though in K1 Under 23.

Switching from K1 to C1 just two years ago Hoskova believed that if she had a good run she was capable of a medal but she said she never thought about gold. Hoskova said she shook off a bad case of nerves at the start and found a way to just relax and treat the final like any other training run.

Noticeably absent from the podium was Team Australia which had three boats in the semi whittled down to one boat, that of Jessica Fox, which finished eighth.

The Aussies must have used their individual event to fire up their resolve and horsepower for the Teams event where they smoked the Cunovo course, to take first place by a huge 15.25-second margin over second-place China; Germany took third. The C1 Team event is not an official medal event since only five teams competed and ICF rules mandate a six team and three continent minimum.