The first gold medal of the 2018 ECA Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe European Championships went to the hands of Czech canoeist Martin Fuksa who was the best in men’s C1 1000 metres final. Fernando Pimenta defended his title in men’s K1 1000 metres event. German Nina Krankemann was the best in women’s 1000 metres final. Hungary, Russia, Belarus, Serbia and Poland also celebrated European Champion titles.
Martin Fuksa continues with excellent performances. After being unbeatable in the World Cup series, he also picked up the first gold medal that was awarded at the 2018 ECA Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe European Championships in Belgrade. With the time 3:46.723 he now holds the European record in this distance. The previous record holder Sebastian Brendel (GER) finished second today after tight race and exciting final. Carlo Tacchini from Italy won bronze medal.
“It is absolutely amazing. This is my second title in 1000 metres. First time was in 2013. Racing with Sebastian is amazing and now it was the same. Congrats to Sebastian and Carlo Tachinni. I am happy,” said Fuksa after winning performance.
Another familiar face on the podium came in the men’s K1 1000 metres final, where Fernando Pimenta (POR) defended his European Champion title from Plovdiv, and was first for the third consecutive time. Balint Kopasz (HUN) was second and Max Rendschmidt (GER) third.
“It is amazing feeling, amazing race. It was a hard race, because during the warm up the wind was from the back side and during the race from the front side. It was a hard race with amazing competitors, it is great to compete with these guys,” said Pimenta.
Nina Krankemann (GER) celebrated the gold medal in women’s 1000 metres final, after crossing the finish line just ahead Hungarian Tamara Takacs and Karin Johanssen from Sweden. “It was a very, very hard race. I had a very good start which is not normal for me to be that strong at the start. I just thought push, push, push to the finish line and be the strongest and fight,” said Nina.
Alena Nazdrova from Belarus produced the best run in women’s C1 500 metres final to celebrate the European champion title in front of Kseniia Kurach from Russia and Liudmyla Luzan from Ukraine.
To much joy of Serbian supporters local favourites Marko Tomičević and Milenko Zorić won European champion titles in men’s K2 1000 meters final in front of Max Hoff – Marcus Gross from Germany and Francisco Cubelos and Inigo Pena from Spain.
Justyna Iskrzycka and Paulina Paszek from Poland are the new European Champions in women’s 1000 metres event, Sarah Brüssler and Melanie Gebhardt from Germany were second and Noemi Pupp and Tamara Csipes from Hungary third.
Yul Oeltze - Peter Kretschmer (GER), Leonid Carp – Victor Mihalachi (ROU) and Sergio Vallejo – Adrian Sierro (ESP) were the fastest in men’s C2 1000 metres final.
Hungarians Anna Karasz, Erika Medveczky, Danuta Kozak and Dora Bodonyi are the best European K4 500 metres crew of the year, after they’ve produced the best performance in the final. Crews from Belarus and Russia joined them on the winner’s podium.
Kiryl Nikitsin, Vitaliy Bialko, Ilya Fedarenka and Raman Piatrusenka from Belarus are the K4 1000 metres European Champions. Slovakian crew finished second and Spanish third.
Russia celebrated a gold medal thanks to their men’s C4 1000 metres crew with Pavel Petrov, Viktor Melantyev, Mikhail Pavlov and Ivan Shtyl. Ukrainian C4 was second and Polish third.
On Sunday the championships will conclude with 200 and 500 metres final, 5000 metres events as well as paracanoeing finals.
RESULTS: http://www.europecanoeevents.com/live-results?gmt=2&gmt2=-120
NINA JELENC
