ECA Press Release: The first competition day of the 2016 ECA European Canoe Sprint and Paracanoeing Championships in Moscow, Russia, went by without big upsets and the favourites managed to advance to the finals without troubles. The first medals were already awarded in paracanoeing.
Martin Fuksa (CZE), world champion in C1M 500m last year in Milan, produced the best time in his heat to qualify directly to the A final both in 1000m and 500m. Czech paddlers were very fast the first day of the Championships in the Krylatskoye Regatta Course. In addition Anna Koziskova (K1W 1000m) and Jakub Spicar (K1M 500m) laid down the fastest time in their heat.
German sprinters set the fastest heat time in three events. It was a double top position for Max Hoff who was the fastest in men’s K1 1000m heats as well as in men’s K2 1000m together with Marcus Gross. Sabrina Hering and Steffi Kriegerstein were the fastest in women’s K2 500m heats.
Danuta Kozak (HUN) did not have much trouble advancing to the A final in women’s 500m as she set the fastest time in heats to qualify directly. Her compatriots Bence Nadas, Peter Molnar, Sandor Totka and Tamas Somoracz were the fastest in men’s K4 500m.
Oleg Tarnovschi and Serghei Tarnovschi (MDA) laid down the fastest time in men’s C2 1000m, Viktor Melantyev and Ivan Shtyl (RUS) in men’s C2 500m, Vitaliy Bialko and Raman Piatrushenka (BLR) in men’s K2 500m and Denis Mysak, Juraj Tarr, Erik Vlcek and Tibor Linka (SVK) in men’s K4 1000m.
The first paracanoeing gold medals of the Championships for Russia, Germany, Sweden and Hungary
During the first day of the European Paracanoeing Championships five finals were already on. Russia celebrated the first gold medals of the championships in men’s VL3 with Viktor Potanin finishing the race ahead of Italian Pier Alberto Buccolino and another Russian Aleksei Egorov. Nadezda Andreeva (RUS) picked up a gold medal in women’s canoe event (VL1 and VL 2 categories were joint this time). Veronica Biglia (ITA) and Julianna Toth (HUN) were second and third. German paddler Ivo Kilian won the men’s VL2 ahead of Javier Reja (ESP) and Giuseppe di Lelio (ITA). Helene Ripa won a gold medal for Sweden in women’s KL3, Cindy Moreau (FRA) picked up silver and Mihaela Lulea bronze for Romania. Robert Suba (HUN) won in men’s VL1 ahead of Pavel Gromov (RUS).
