Five countries shared the gold medals on an exciting day of racing at the ICF canoe marathon world championships at Vejen, Denmark, on Friday.

Ireland’s Ronan Foley held on for one of the most exciting wins of the day, outlasting Danish European champion Philip Knudsen to win the men’s U23 K1 crown. Portugal’s Francisco Santos won the bronze.

In the women’s U23 K1 Hungary’s Panna Csepe showed her class with an impressive win over the reigning European champion, Katerina Milova of the Czech Republic. South Africa’s Saskia Hockly took bronze.

Spain’s Jaime Duro once again stamped himself as the most formidable young canoe marathon paddler in the world, defending his title from last year. Duro is also the reigning European champion.

In the women’s U23 C1 it was Germany’s Annette Wehrmann who took the glory, beating the reigning European champion Alzbeta Veverkova from the Czech Republic.

In junior events, South Africa’s Georgia Singe and Holly Smith showed the benefit of strong portaging skills when they raced away to take the women’s K2, while in C2 junior men it was Hungary’s Matyes Ludanyi and Adam Vonga who took the win.

Pic by Soren Wilhelmsen