John Gregory - @gregiej | Sportscene - The Spanish team were able to secure two individual medals and two team medals at the third ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup series at Parc Olimpic del Segre. Here is a round-up of the World Cup weekend at la Seu d’Urgell.

Overall World Cup Rankings

Click here to download the full official ICF ranking. Jessica Fox is the only paddler to have been on the podium at all three world cup races so far this season. Lizzie Neave leads the K1W despite having raced at only Cardiff & Seu. Germany demonstrates its strength in K1M with the top 3 places in the overall world cup ranking thus far in addition to Paul Boeckelmann in 6th.

Summary Seu winners of heats, semi-final and final

Sad news from the weekend was the dislocation of Olympic gold medalist Etienne Stott’s shoulder during the C2 heat on Friday which likely puts Tim Baillie and Etienne out for the remaining World Cup races and September World’s. We wish Etienne a speedy recovery.

Medal Table (from individual race events)

The Spanish team will have been somewhat satisfied to see them secure their first two medals of the ICF World Cup series so far this year. It was a strong weekend showing from the Slovenian team taking home 3 medals from Seu.

Cumulative Medal Table (from individual race events at World Cup 1, 2 & 3)

With the two gold medals from Seu, France now take the lead in the medal table, followed by Great Britain and Germany into third, despite having the most medals (9). It is positive to see medals distributed amongst 10 nations. Through the world cup races so far we have seen a total of 35 nations participating in one or more race. In all three World cup races we have had no boats from outside Europe in the C2 final.

Seu World Cup C1M final medal positions

Benjamin Savsek (SLO) had the fastest C1 run of the weekend and finished 8th in the final. It was an all composed European final. The semi and final were very tight. The top 6 boats were all clear. 2011 world champion Denis Gargaud Chanut (FRA) made his first 2013 World Cup final finishing 6th. Last year’s race winner Jordi Domenjo again made it to the final. He had to settle for 9th this time around and fellow countryman Ander Elosegi, last year’s overall 2012 World Cup silver medalist was collecting silver again. 

Seu World Cup C1W final medal positions

Jessica Fox is the only paddler to have been on the podium at each of the three races. GB ladies Kimberley Woods and Mallory Franklin were absent in Seu and so Jessica extended her points lead after the three races. 2013 European champion and Seu heat winner Caroline Loir moves up to 3rd in the championships so far.

Seu World Cup K1M final medal positions

Seu created a different mix in the final. Vavrinec Hradilek (CZE), 26, demonstrated further consistent form in 2013 after his Olympic bronze and bronze in the 2012 world cup series. Daniele Molmenti (ITA) made his first international race debut since the Olympic making the final and finishing fourth 1.63 seconds clean behind Vavrinec. Those not making the cut included winner of the heat Vit Prindis (CZE) and also Peter Kauzer (SLO), Boris Neveu (FRA), Sebastian Schubert (GER) and  Augsburg winner Paul Boeckelmann (GER).

Seu World Cup K1W final medal positions

21 year old Olympian Eva Tercelj (SLO) completed a commanding run more than 2 seconds quicker than Jana Dukatova’s (SVK) semi-final winning time. It is Eva’s first individual championship win at this level. She will be on home water for the next world cup race. A reversal of fortune saw no German boats making the final in contrast to the four ladies in the Augsburg final. Those missing in the final included Olympic Champion & Augsburg winner Emilie Fer (FRA) Cardiff silver medalist Elena Kaliska (SVK) and Cindy Poeschel (GER) who had won a bronze in both Cardiff & Augsburg.

Seu World Cup C2 final medal positions

Gauthier Klauss and Matthieu Peche (FRA) made it two consecutive wins. Last year’s event winners and 2013 European Champions Nicolas Peschier & Pierre Labarelle (FRA) having failed to make the final in Augsburg both won the heat and finished on the podium with silver. For a third successive weekend it was another all European boat final, this time with three Czech and French crews. Yu/ Chen (CHN) were the highest placed boat from outside Europe in 16th place.

Overall individual category percentages

Seu Team Events

The teams now have a 6 week break prior to the 4th World Cup race in Tacen, Ljubljana, Slovenia and 5th World Cup race in Bratislava, Slovakia. There are also only 9 weeks remaining until we return again to Troja, Prague for the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. We wish the local club and organisers all the best in clearing the site from the recent flooding in preparations for the Worlds.

Here you can download all results and the ICF ranking.