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.
 
Another awaited return, like Wallace, was the Ecuadorian César de Cesare in the K1 200, beating McKeever and Semionovski, showing that he is in great shape and wants to recover the level that could not demonstrate London, where he finished fifth in the final B. Both he and Wallace had the bad luck to cross a low point in 2012, but surely want to claim back their place in 2013 and return into the path of victory.

In women, Olympic champion Lisa Carrington won the K1 200, while the 500 went to Serbian Dalma Ruzicic-Benedek, ahead of favorites Katrin Wagner (GER) and Danuta Kozák (HUN). In the 1,000 meters, uncontested victory for the German Franziska Weber.

In canoe great duel between the last two Olympic champions, Brendl and Vajda, who finally fell on the side of the German, which managed to hold back the Hungarian attack in the second half of the race. At 500 meters gold was for Polish Grzybowski, while the C1 200 gave the pictoresque show of the weekend. In an incredible collective dismissal, only 4 paddlers were placed in the gates at the time of the start. Demyanenko was one of those who were off, so he could not enter the fight for the medals and the victory went to the Russian Ivan Shtyl.

Start of the C1 200, where we can see only 4 paddlers placed at the line. Source: Planet Canoe TV

The competition finished with the 5,000m, where Yurenia (BLR)  took gold in the K1 Men, Louisa Sawers (GBR) in the K1 Women and Attila Vajda (HUN) at C1.

You can see a selection of the best videos on our YouTube channel and all the weekend results on this link.