Italy’s Stefanie Horn delighted the home crowd with a stunning victory at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup in Ivrea.
The Italian fans roared Horn to the women's kayak title as she edged Germany’s Ricarda Funk in a thrilling final.
There was to be no home men’s K1 gold for returning Olympic hero Giovanni De Gennaro as Poland’s Mateusz Polaczyk secured his first World Cup win at the age of 36.
Czechia’s Gabriela Satkova and Slovenia’s Benjamin Savsek bounced back from their Olympic disappointments to capture the respective women’s and men’s canoe titles on an action-packed day in Ivrea.
Funk, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, had set the time to beat in the women’s K1 after crossing in 97.54.
Horn was the last to go in the final and was almost three seconds behind at one stage before pulling off a superb finish to secure the win by 0.66.
“It means a lot,” said Horn, who has been living in Ivrea for the past nine years.
“I love the kids from the kayaking club as they are really nice and give me the motivation to train every day as they are always happy.
“This happiness gives me the strength to race.
“I am really proud to give them back the joy they gave me today.”
Funk claimed silver, with Slovenia’s Eva Tercelj earning bronze.
After Horn’s victory, Italian fans would have been hoping for another home triumph when Olympic champion De Gennaro took to the water.
But the home favourite missed the 10th gate to pick up a 50-second penalty.
Instead, the men’s K1 title went to a shocked Polaczyk whose time of 87.34 saw him take top spot.
“I am super happy,” said Polaczyk, who won his first World Cup medal 12 years ago.
“What can I say, I am an old guy!
“I have won for the first time ever. It is special to have it here in Ivrea on such a good course.
“I just enjoy paddling.
“I didn’t produce anything special, that was just a good run from a training session and I won a World Cup so I am very happy.”
France’s Anatole Delassus finished just 0.48 behind Polaczyk to take silver, while Slovenia’s Peter Kauzer was 1.11 further back in bronze.
Satkova recovered from the heartbreak of missing out on a medal at Paris 2024 to clinch the women’s C1 title.
The Czech paddler produced a brilliant display, triumphing by more than five seconds to seal her second World Cup win of the season.
“I feel extremely happy because I did not think this race would go this way,” said Satkova.
“I am more than satisfied.
“It was an amazing run and I am happy that after the Olympics I was able to do such a great run and I felt like I believed in myself a little bit after the big disappointment of the Olympics.”
Fresh from winning two medals at the Olympics, Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods added another to her collection with a World Cup silver in Ivrea.
Ukraine’s Viktoriia Us completed the podium with bronze.
Savsek, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, also refused to let the disappointment of leaving Paris 2024 without a medal get the better of him as he claimed the men’s C1 crown in Ivrea.
Slovenia’s Ziga Lin Hocevar topped the standings in the semi-finals and was in a great position to take the title, registering a time almost three seconds quicker than Savsek at the third intermediate.
But a mistake at the penultimate gate cost him dearly as Savsek clinched gold in 93.05.
“I didn’t feel very good at first as I had to take a little vacation after the Olympics to clear my head,” said Savsek.
“I have been trying to get back on track in the last couple of weeks so I am really happy to be still in good form and in a good position in the overall standings.”
Frenchman Yohann Senechault, who is ranked number 175 in the world, pulled off a superb showing to take silver, one second behind Savsek, while the bronze went to Italy’s Raffaello Ivaldi.
Kayak cross, which made a successful Olympic debut in Paris, will take centre stage on Sunday.
For the results and competition schedule, click here.
Full coverage of this week's event can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
Join Planet Canoe's YouTube channel for €9.99 per month to unlock members-only content and features
Related links
