Day one of the 2017 ECA Canoe Sprint European Championships and ECA Paracanoeing European Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, gave us the names of the first finalists who will fight for the medals tomorrow at 1000 metres distance and in three 500 metres A finals.
The 2017 ECA Canoe Sprint European Championships and ECA Paracanoeing European Championships started with women’s 1000 metres events, where Dora Bodonyi (HUN) produced the fastest time of the heats. She was more than two seconds faster than Vera Sobetova (RUS) and more than four seconds faster than Beata Mikolayczk (POL).
In men’s C1 1000 metres heats Sebastian Brendel, the first favourite for gold medal, crossed the finish line with the fastest time. Kirill Shamshurin (RUS) produced the second fastest time of the day and Maksim Piatrou (BLR) the third. Reigning European Champion in a 1000 metres event, Fernando Pimenta (POR) safely advanced to the A final. He was the fastest in the heats.
Artuur Peters from Belgium was a little more than a second slower and Rene Holten Poulsen (DEN) produced the third fastest time of the heats. Poulsen had to start also in the semi-final, where he later finished second in his race and also advanced to the Saturday’s final A.
Czech K4 (Spicar, Slouf, Havel, Sterba) was the best in men’s K4 500 metres event. They were 0.04 seconds ahead of Russians Kuzakhmetov, Gusev, Ershov and Blintcov with only the first team advanced directly to the final. The Russian crew than had to start in the semi-final, where they finished fourth and missed the final A, so they will now compete in the final B.
In the women’s 500 metres event Hungarian K4 (Lucz, Takacs, Medveczky, Vad) showed the most strength. Ukraine was second and Belarus third. Viktor Melantyev and Vladislav Chebotar (RUS) were the fastest crew in men’s C2 1000 metres heats, ahead of Oletze and Kretschmer from Germany and Hungarians Korianszky – Mike, while Max Hoff and Marcus Gross (GER) set the best time in men’s K2 1000 metres heats.
Serbians Zorić and Tomičević finished second in the overall standings of the first competition day and Hufnagel –Ilyes (HUN) were third.
Hungarian Tamara Takacs finished with fastest time in K1W 500 metres heats, ahead of Volha Khudzenka (BLR) and Milica Starović (SRB), while Martin Fuksa (CZE) was the best in men’s C1 500 metres event, followed by Oleg Tarnovskyi (MDA) and Tomasz Kaczor (POL).
Jakub Zavrel (CZE) set the fastest time in men’s K1 500 metres event. Antun Novaković (CRO) was just behind him and Roi Rodriguez (ESP) set the third fastest time in heats.
We saw three more events on Friday. Elena Anyshina and Kira Stepanova (RUS) were the fastest in women’s K2 500 metres heats, Nikolina and Olivera Moldovan (SRB) were second and Hungarians Farkasdi – Medveczky third. Vitaliy Bialko and Raman Piatrushenka (BLR), Dejan Pajić and Ervin Holpert (SRB) and Oleg Gusev – Vladislav Blintcov (RUS) were the fastest in men’s K2 500 metres event.
Serbian duo Pajić and Holpet found themselves in a similar position as Poulsen earlier in the day, with setting one of the fastest times of the day, but still missing the direct advancement to the final, so they had to start in the semi-final too. They were successful in their second attempt, so they will compete for the medals in final A.
Virag Balla and Kincso Takacs (HUN) finished the competition day with the fastest time of women’s C2 500 metres heats. Irina Andreeva and Olesia Romasenko (RUS) had the second best time of the day, while Eugenie Dorange and Julie Cailleretz (FRA) finished third in overall standings of the heats.
On Saturday we will see 1000 metres finals, three 500 metres finals and 200 metres heats and semi-finals. Saturday will also bring the first events of the ECA Paracanoeing European Championships.
