Familiar names were also on the podium of men's kayak event. Vit Prindiš, like Kuhnle, won his second individual European Champion title. The Czech kayaker was celebrating back in 2019 in Pau. Prindis finished the final run 0.75 seconds ahead of Italian Giovanni De Gennaro, and 1.02 seconds ahead of Slovenian Peter Kauzer.

 

While this is the first individual championships medal in senior category for De Gennaro, Kauzer won his sixth individual European Championships medal, and his first bronze.

 

"It's special. After last year when I really messed up the Olympic qualification and closely missed the medal at Europeans in my hometown, I was quite disappointed. But I told myself just go for another season, do 100 per cent training, and it paid off. I am European champion again," said Prindiš.

 

This European Championships also serves as the European Olympic Qualifier for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Only one quota per event is still available in Ivrea and it was a Swiss and Polish day to celebrate. Naemi Braendle won a quota in women's kayak event for Switzerland, while Krzysztof Majerczak won a quota for Poland in men's kayak.

 

In the afternoon part of the programme the time trials of the extreme canoe slalom European Championships were held. Corinna Kuhnle continued great performances by setting the fastest time in women's kayak, finishing ahead of Veronika Vojtova (CZE) and Hannah Craig (IRL), while Gelindo Chiarello (SUI) won in men's kayak, ahead of Boris Neveu (FRA) and Vit Prindis (CZE).

 

On Sunday, the European Championships will conclude with women's and men's canoe semifinals and finals, and the final phase of Extreme Canoe Slalom competition.