Olympic champions Maialen Chourraut and Jiri Prskavec reminded the paddling world of their class by winning kayak gold at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup Final in Spain on Friday.
Spanish paddler Chourraut, 41, made the most of her local course knowledge to edge out Slovenia’s Eva Tercelj and American Evy Leibfarth for the K1 gold in La Seu.
It was the first World Cup gold for the Spaniard since 2017, a year after she won Olympic gold in Rio.
“I just wanted to go out and do my best, to be myself,” said Chourraut.
“I’m just so grateful for all the slalom family and all the paddlers and the crowd.
“It was a pleasure to be in La Seu, and to do my best at the end of a long season.”
Prskavec saved his best until last after a year which he struggled to recapture the form that took him to gold at Tokyo 2020 and won him the overall World Cup title in 2023.
The Czech had struggled in finals throughout 2024, including at the Olympics where he finished eighth.
But he said the win in La Seu will give him confidence going into the off-season.
“I’m truly happy to have broken through,” said Prskavec.
“Since the beginning of the season I didn’t have many good runs in finals, so winning the last race of the season will give me motivation for training over the winter.
“I didn’t have a lot of training after the Olympics, but I’m glad to win here on a course where I have had some great results, including a world title.”
Brazil’s Mathieu Desnos celebrated making his first senior final by taking the silver, while Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist Giovanni De Gennaro of Italy took the bronze.
In the final overall World Cup standings, Germany’s Ricarda Funk was crowned the winner of the women’s title, adding to the crowns she won in 2016 and 2017. France’s Emma Vuitton finished second and Australia’s Olympic champion Jessica Fox third.
In the men’s competition, Frenchman Anatole Delassus was rewarded for not missing a final all season by being crowned overall K1 champion, edging out De Gennaro with 41-year-old Peter Kauzer of Slovenia finishing third.
Competition will continue on Saturday with the semi-finals and finals of the men’s and women’s canoe.
For the results and competition schedule, click here.
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