ECA PRESS RELEASE: Day one of the 2016 ECA Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint European Championships is over and we have the first semi-finalists and finalists. It has been a long day with more than 70 races – heats of the 500 and 1000 metres distances in 32 events.

The most successful were the representatives of Eastern European nations, especially Russia and Belarus, producing the fastest times in majority of today’s events. Russian canoeist Vladislav Chebotar produced the fastest time both in men’s C1 U23 500 and 1000 metres events to secure himself a position in the A finals. His younger team mate Aleksandr Tutaev won the men’s junior C1 500 metres heats, while Siarhei Kuptsevich (BLR) crossed the finish line with the fastest time in men’s junior C1 1000m heats.

Russian boats finished the race with the fastest times also in K4W junior 500 metres heats, K4M U23 500 metres event, in K2M junior 500 metres heats with Sergei Filin and Andrei Shmyrov and C2M junior 500 metres event with Ian Kavaliauskas – Ivan Dmitriev.

Belarusians Stanislau Danineka (K1M junior 500m), Nadzeya Makarchanka (C1W junior 500m), Aliaksei Misiuchenka – Kiryl Nikitsinn (K2M U23 500m), Ihar Baicheuski (K1M U23 1000m), men’s junior K4 1000m and junior C2M 1000m crew Ryhor Maisiuk – Dzianis Vashcanka were the fastest paddlers in mentioned events.

Florida Ciuta – Daniela Varona (K2W U23 500m), men’s junior C4 500m team and Paula Postariu (C1W U23 500m) were the Romanian winners of respected events, Germans Felix Gebhardt and Fabian Dittrich were the fastest in men’s C2 U23 1000m heats, their compatriots Carola Schmidt and Sarah Bruessler in women’s K2 U23 1000m heats, Liudmyla Kuklinovska of Ukraine in women’s junior 500m heats, Belgian Hermien Peters in women’s K1 U23 500m heats and Samuele Burgo (ITA) in men’s junior K1 1000m heats.

Radek Slouf (CZE) crossed the finish line with the fastest time in K1m U23 500m heats and later also with his team colleague Tomas Vesely in men’s K2 U23 1000m event. Another Czech representative Sofie Kinclova was the fastest in women’s K1 junior 1000m heats.

Luke Harding and Magnus Gregory (GBR) were the best in K2M junior 1000m heats, Marija Dostanić and Biljana Relić (SRB) in women’s K2 junior 500m heats, Slovakian men’s K4 was the fastest in junior 500 metres event and Polish C2 Arsen Sliwinski – Michal Lubniewski stopped the clock with the fastest time in men’s U23 500 metres event.

The other best times in the remaining three events of the day were set by Hungarian paddlers. Dora Bodonyi was the fastest in women’s U23 1000m heats, Lilla Banki – Virag Jenei in women’s K2 junior 1000m heats and Hungary concluded the first competition day with the fastest time in men’s U23 K4 1000 metres event.

The first medals of the European Championships will be awarded tomorrow. The second competition day will start with 500 metres semifinals and the finals will follow later in the day.

Complete results are available here: http://europecanoeevents.com/live-results