French paddlers started with a bang at the 2024 International Canoe Federation Wildwater Canoeing World Championships in Sabero, winning four gold medals on the opening day.
Claire Bren started the proceedings by claiming the women’s kayak classic title in Spain, with a timing of 19:27.78.
Bren, who started her career in Wildwater Canoe, shifted to Canoe Sprint before making the switch again.
She pipped silver medallist Kerry Christie of Great Britain by almost two seconds while bronze went to Italian sensation Cecilia Panato.
Slovenian Simon Oven won the men’s kayak classic gold medal by 0.4 seconds. The tight race saw Maxence Barough of France settle for silver while bronze went to Leo Montulet of Belgium.
The canoe classic events saw the French do the double thanks to Theo Viens and Laura Fontaine, respectively.
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Viens was the comfortable winner in the men’s canoe classic final, posting 19:40.60, with second-placed Ondrej Rolenc clocking 19:45.16. Bronze went to Nicolas Sauteur of France in 19:55.07.
In the women’s canoe classic, Fontaine had a massive seven-second lead against compatriot Eve-Vitali Guibert while Panato added to her tally by winning another bronze.
Christie combined with sister Emma to get Great Britain’s first gold medal in Sabero, winning the women’s canoe double classic in 21:03.54.
Fontaine and Guibert finsihed second, with another French duo of Bren and Lise Vinet taking bronze.
The final gold medal of the day for France came in the men’s canoe double classic when Viens teamed up with Sauteur.
The duo dominated the race, producing a superb timing of 19:13.78, with silver medallists Rolenc and Daniel Suchanek behind in 19:31.45.
Bronze went to Correntin Combe and Clement Monajanel of France, who crossed the line in 19:46.56.
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