Nobody loves the Canoe Slalom course at La Seu d'Urgell more than Maialen Chourraut.
She has won multiple International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup medals and a World Championships silver in the kayak single in 2009 at the venue built for the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992.
At the Segre Olympic Park, the three-time Olympic medallist was triumphant as recently as at the Pyrenees Cup in March this year.
With the 2025 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Series beginning in La Seu, it was an easy decision for the 42-year-old Chourraut to keep going, especially after a disappointing 12th-place finish at the Olympic Games in Paris last year.
Click here for live results from La Seu
“It would have been a pity to finish my career like this. I like the feeling of racing. So I decided to do the Spanish National Championships a few weeks after Paris 2024,” Chourraut said.
“I saw that my place was in the water. I love this sport. I love the community of slalom. So I decided, why not one more year? We will see.
“This calendar is another reason why I decided to continue this year — the first World Cup in La Seu, second in Pau and third in Prague.
“I have lived in La Seu for 15 years. I live in San Sebastian now and it is only two hours away. This is my home course. My family and friends are close. So it is special.”
A serial winner, the Spaniard's first Olympic medal came at London 2012 in the K1.
Four years later, she upgraded it to gold and at Tokyo 2020, she added a K1 silver to her tally.
A multiple world medallist, she was also part of the Spanish K1 team at the 2025 European Championships at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in France.
When asked what keeps her going, the champion paddler remained as humble as ever.
“I think the love for the sport and the feeling of being on water. You can always learn something,” she said.
“I have so much to learn and sometimes I think it isn't easy because I am 42, but I keep trying and there is always something to take back. I still have the motivation to compete.”
While LA28 is “too far away” for her, Chourraut wants to soak in the moment and make the most of the season.
Over the years, if there was one thing that she would do differently, it would be to have fun while competing.
“The important thing is to feel calm, try to give my best on the water and still have fun,” she said.
“A lot of times, I feel I am not having so much fun while racing and I have to find this balance.”
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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