Sprint World Cup 2 in Racice (CZE) pops up promising top paddlers

Racice (CZE) held the second Sprint World Cup 2013 last weekend. It was confirmed back on track the best Ken Wallace, who seems in this 2013 willing to make everyone forget last season. He won the 500 with conviction and in 1000, with Poulsen winner and Yurenia again in silver, the Australian starred in one of the comebacks of the Cup, going in the last meters from 7th to 3th place with a final quarter of 49 seconds, leaving Hoff at the gates of podium.

In K2 200 a new victory of the unbeatable (so far this year) Postrigay and Dyachenko, who day after day recruit new fans in love with their absolute mastery on this race. However, the 500 is still a bit long distance for them and, after a very quick first partial, they finished second on overpassed by the Portuguese Pimenta and Silva, who are performing at a high level after last summer's Olympic silver.

Lisa Carrington (NZL). Photo: Balint Vekassy

In the women's K1, Lisa Carrington ruled the short races. It seems that paddlers from the Southern Hemisphere are in better shape due to their high season during the European winter, because although Carrington took the 200 as expected, also dominated the 500 over the Germans. It is also true that on this occasion the Hungarian team was not racing in Racice and that could be felt in some of the races, as Hungarian Women always are in the bets for the medals.

But now we can focus more on new values ​​who are slowly looming on the international scene.

Sprint World Cup 1 at Szeged started the Sprint international season

Postrigay and Dyachenko. Source: Planet Canoe TV

May is the month of the Sprint World Cups, which this year are held, consecutively, in Szeged (HUN), Racice (CZE) and Poznan (POL).

After the first Cup in Szeged last weekend, many new names in the preliminary series, as we're in a post-Olympic year in which many of the stars are given a break and federations (most, but unfortunately not all ...) provide an opportunity for young talents to be get experienced in major international competitions.

In many races victories of the favorites, including the amazing couple of Postrigay and Dyachenko in the K2 200 men, the Russian pair who wowed us all getting gold at London 2012 with a real display of power and in this 2013 seem to behave the same way. Only 24 and 22 years old, respectively, which seem to augur an Olympic cycle where they will be the couple to beat.


Max Hoff won the K1 1,000 over a strong field who included Yurenia and Poulsen, silver and bronze in that order. Ken Wallace did not have his best day, sixth, but the Australian took revenge the best possible way in the 500, winning in his preferred distance with a final comeback "Wallace Trademark", entering the photo finish ahead of Hungarian Dombvári, who, along with the Czech Havel, bronze, took advantage of Poulsen's collapse in the final meters.
 

The olympic stars shine in Duisburg

One of the most beautiful and reliable regatta courses in the world, the one of Duisburg (Germany), brought us this last weekend many great races at Sprint World Cup 2.

The great Duisburg venue (click on the image for full size)

But out of all the disciplines and distances, in Elite Kayak we have a special predilection on the K1 1.000 Men, where actually meet all those considered like “the big ones”. And not many of them usually miss the competitions, always with at least 5 or 6 first line paddlers at the start. This time, at Duisburg, we had the privilege to see a race that could be not much different from the one we will see at London Games.