John Gregory | @gregiej | Sportscene – The natural obstacles and gates were not the only hazards in Foz do Iguassu, in which crocodiles, alligators and snakes swam around the warm up lake. It was a strange test of mental preparation before the start of an ICF Junior/U23 Worlds race.

Sebastian Rossi (ARG) snapped his paddle above gate 1 in the C1M U23 semi-final. In so doing he achieved by far the most views internationally on social media. Rossi provided us a master class on negotiating a 20-gate World Championship course with no paddle and incurring only 58 seconds of penalties. Astonishing. The 50-second penalty was on gate 19!

The Brazilian hosts began with a stamp of authority in the heats. Pedro (Pepe) Da Silva won the K1M U23 heat in 85.64 clear, Ana Satila, 19, was 2nd in the U23 K1W heat, while Charles Correa & Anderson Oliveira won the U23 C2 heat with a clear 98.65 run. Brazil went on to place 9 boats in the individual U23 finals and 2 more in the Junior finals. They finished with a happy collection of 6 medals from all the races. This young team is really developing a depth of talent and will become an increasing force to be reckoned with for the future.

U23 WORLDS

Foz U23 winners of the respective heat, semi and final

In the C1M new U23 World Champion Adam Burgess (GBR) had a sensational run in the final, which he described afterwards. “Super proud of all the work that went into that result, I’ve been close to the podium a few times but never kept it clean in the final to do it. Absolutely buzzing to have climbed the top step and hear the national anthem. My family and British canoeing have been amazing support, very happy to celebrate with both Marc Domenjo and Ian Raspin on Saturday, we did it!” This should be an exciting, clear message to World No. 1 David Florence that he has competition at home as well as great to see a next generation in C1.

Kimberley Woods (GBR), 19, had been strong in both the C1W U23 heat and final. The final did not go her way or that of defending champion and ICF World No. 1 Jess Fox (AUS) or Ana Satila (BRA) on her home course. Instead Spain’s Nuria Vilarrubla, 23, took full advantage with a win. She had previously been on the podium at her home Seu World Cup race in 2014 with silver.

Jiri Prskavec (CZE) came to Foz already as ICF World no. 4 at a senior level as well as 2014 Senior European Champion. His final run in Foz was super tight all the way and he finished in an astonishingly quick 82.96 seconds clear. A margin of 3.46 seconds in K1M is huge.

“World Champion U23!!!!! It was crazy starting from the last position and I am truly happy that I managed to put down a very good run. ☺ Thanks to everybody who cheered for me and now I will go back to the course for the team runs”, said Prskavec, 21, after his podium presentation. He then did exactly that and together with Ondrej Cvikl and Petr Bincik the Czech Republic won gold in the K1M Team race with a clear run of 97.69 seconds.

After disappointment for favourite Jess Fox, 20, in the C1W class the previous day, she laid down a fast and clean run in the final. Already ahead 2.49 seconds at the split, she clinched gold with a 3.14 second margin to successfully defend the title she won in Penrith last year. In an interview with Sportscene & Australia Canoeing after the race she said, “I am really happy with that run and happy with the way I raced that race. The whole week has been quite stressful, there was pressure and expectations but to deliver that run I am so happy. I am so happy for Ana 2nd on her home course in Brazil is awesome. Yesterday’s C1 was a big blow for me and really devastating but I was really proud of the way I raced in C1. I learnt a lot from that run and I actually found the speed and aggression that I have been looking for all week and tried to channel all that into the K1 race. I took the brakes off and raced hard.”

In the C2, it is the first final I can think of ever to have 7 boats from outside Europe in an ICF race final.

Percentage of winning K1M time:

U23 Team Event:

U23 Individuals Medal Table:

JUNIOR WORLDS

Foz Junior winners of the respective heat, semi and final

Jakub Grigar (SVK), 18, became a double Junior World Champion having won the title previously in 2013 at Liptovsky Mikulas. His winning K1M Junior run was also a very quick 106% against that of U23 World Champion Jiri Prskavec (CZE). I can’t help but comment on another top World C1M coming to the fore from Slovakia…. thinking Martikan & Slafkovsky.

Guillaume Graille & Lucas Roisin (FRA) were the only paddlers to be fastest in their respective heat, semi-final and final. Their win also underlines the depth of C2 talent in France, which was evident at the 2014 Deep Creek Worlds.

Percentage of winning K1M time:

Junior Team Event:

Junior Individuals Medal Table:

Medals at the combined Junior & U23 Worlds in either individual classes or teams were spread among only 11 different nations, of which only two Brazil & Australia are outside Europe. Congratulations to CBCa, the Brazilian Federation for such a well organised Junior/ U23 Worlds.

Look out next for the World Cup preview coming at the beginning of June:
World Cup 1 - Prague, Czech Republic June 19-21
World Cup 2 – Krakow, Poland June 26-28
World Cup 3 – Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia July 3-5
Pan American Games – Minden, Ontario, Canada July 17-19
World Cup 4 – Seu d’Urgell, Spain August 7-9
World Cup Final – Pau, France August 14-16
Senior World Championships – Lee Valley, London, UK September 16-20

I will be providing live race tweets for the Pan Am Games, Lee Valley Worlds and through the World Cup races using #ICFslalom all season. Follow me @gregiej.

Photos: Sportscene Media House