Summary of Day 4 results: U23 gold for Jess Fox in C1W, Sátila Junior C1W first bronze, Prskavec loses last year's U23 K1M crown to Biazizzo of France, Czechs win U23 C2M

Summary of Day 5 results: U23 K1W Kudejova defends title! Slovenia Patrik Gajarsky wins U23 C1M, in Juniors Hilgertova wins K1W and Cédric Joly C1M.

Nick Harding | @nickhdg | Sportscene - It has been a phenomenal week of sunshine and slalom action from the best Juniors and U23 paddlers in the world, following it has been riveting and a real wake-up call for senior paddlers just how far on this field have come on this season alone.

Liptovsky has been a celebration of young boys and girls paddling C1 and K1 side by side in harmony, paddling the same classes with the same gates over the same distance. We've seen some outstanding individual and team performances as the youngsters have demonstrated huge character and mental strength to run times worthy of any senior field.

It's been a competition of firsts; new prodigal athletes coming through stamping out their hunger and medal-winning territory like Ana Sátila as well as experienced slalomists like Vikki Wolffhardt (AUT) who have tested themselves in C1 as well as K1 competitions.

K1M U23 (Saturday)

First place on Friday Zeno Ivaldi (ITA) lost his semi-final form– 4 silly touches, he slipped into last place earlier this morning.

Sensational run this morning from Frenchman Mathieu Biazizzo, clean, and a strong time for any senior competition 96.85 taking gold. Jiri Prskavec (CZE) is familiar with big occasions, current European Champion and last year's U23 gold medallist, was slightly slower today taking the silver in 98.17.

The Italian team did have the final paddler on the rostrum in the end courtesy of a fast 98.31 run Giovanni De Gennaro.

A good run from the Swiss Werro – a proud 8th, Australia's Jason Merrit had a perfect but lethargic run, his 103.73 run landed him 9th.

K1W U23 (Sunday)

With Jess Fox not making the final, competition was wide open, the new favourite was semis-winner and 2012 U23 World Champion from the Czech Republic Katerina Kudejova. She fulfilled this prophecy with only one touch and otherwise a clear run to a time of 110.39. Very few athletes have gone onto defend their title a year later, doing the double-gold could put her in contention for 'young athlete of the year'.

Italian Stefanie Horn took a very close behind second +0.20 dead, Lisa Fritsche was rewarded with the bronze after a tight-fight with fellow German Ricarda Funk, who not only has the best name was actually quicker but succumbed to 2 awkward touches.

Eva Tercelj (SLO) was quickest of all down with a blinding 109.92 run yet her speed resulted in some careless touches; 3 in total and down to 6th. France's Nouria Newman and Estelle Mangin finished side-by-side in 7th and 8th.

C1M U23 (Sunday)

The final took shape on Friday, final paddlers in reverse order were Simon Le Friec (FRA), Kacper Gondek (POL), Anze Bercic (SLO), Zachary Lokken (USA)  Patrik Gajarsky (SVK), Roberto Colazingari (ITA), Thomas Quinn (GBR), Martin Riha (CZE), Jergus Badura (SVK) and winner of the semi-finals, Luka Bozic (SLO).  

Italy's Roberto was looking for the double and to defend last year's title from Wisconsin, he could only manage 5th after a slower but touch-less descent.

In the end gold and bronze for Slovenia; Patrik Gajarsky won out of nowhere with a steam-roller of a final run, 105.37 – the fastest and perhaps the cleanest of the day. Martin Riha (CZE) inched into second over Jergus Badura with only +0.01 difference – questions were asked about the accuracy of the stopwatch.

Fastest in the semis Bozic ended his singles campaign in 4th while Thomas Quinn (GBR) but on a brave show with a 6th place finish, C1M senior team-mate Mark Proctor was probably watching in awe, rooting for his buddy.

C1W U23 (Saturday)

Australia did it last year with Ros Lawrence and did it again with Jess Fox! Even with 2 faults Jess Fox does what she came here to do! Gold, gold, gold in C1W!

Austria's Vikki Wolffhardt takes the silver – she had a perfectly clean run but was still slower than Jess. Ukraine were delighted with Viktoriya Us's Bronze.

Such a shame for Mallory Franklin (GBR) who just missed out again in 4th place +5.62 behind, Spain's Vilarrubla fell tiresome to 6th, Australia went one better than the UK with Alison Borrows nudging 2 seconds over Emily Woodcock for 7th.

Disappointment of the final was last Viktoria Dobrotvorska (UKR) who missed at gate.

C2M U23 (Saturday)

It could have been a full-house on the podium for Poland or the Czech Republic in the C2M Final earlier!

With a clean as a whistle run it was Lukas Rohan/Adam Svoboda (CZE) who unexpectedly took the gold, all eyes were on European bronze medallists Ondrej Karlovsky and Jakub Jane who were so dominant in the Heats and Semis – with four touches they lost their knack and went into 7th. Silver went to Kaspar/Sindler (CZE) and the Polish Brzezinskis upset the Czech flow relinquishing the bronze.

Times between the top 3 boats were really narrow, there was only +0.67 in it. Sadly Brazilians Oliveira/Correa did not finish.

Juniors

Saturday

K1M: gold - Jakub Grigar (SVK), silver - Malek (SVK), bronze - Damiens (FRA)
[Bradley Forbes-Cryans (GBR) 4th]

C1W: gold - Karolin Wagner (GER), silver – Anna Koblencova (CZE), bronze – Ana Sátila (BRA) [With solid leads in the last rounds, Kimberley Woods (GBR) was unlucky on Saturday afternoon ]

C2M: Home gold – Gewissler/Skakala (SVK), silver – Popov/Voynalovich (RUS), bronze – Juettner/Wagner (GER)

Sunday

K1W: gold – Amalie Hilgertova (CZE), silver - Kimberley Woods (GBR), bronze - Camille Prigent (FRA) [It could have gone either way between Amalie and Kim who were so close with 118.21 to 118.96 but 4 penalties to 6 meant it was Amalie's day]

C1M: gold – Cédric Joly (FRA), silver - Lukas Rohan (CZE), bronze - Jakob Jeklin (SLO) [Sportscene predicted right – Cédric's on track to be the next Estanguet!]

Medal table

Here's a summary of the overall medal haul by age class and including team finals:

Download final results day 4 & 5

Next in the calender, World Cup 4 takes place in Slovenia, the Pre-Worlds are the penultimate event of the year in Slovakia and finally in September it's hopefully off to Prague-Troja, Czech Republic, providing all goes to plan with the flood clear-up operation there.

Thanks for following this week's coverage of the U23 and Junior World Championship in  Liptovský Mikuláš.