New Zealand’s Aimee Fisher and Hungary’s Balint Kopasz battled fierce crosswinds to claim hard-fought victories at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup in Brandenburg, Germany.
Blustery conditions made life difficult for paddlers on the penultimate day of action as Fisher and Kopasz dug deep to emerge victorious in the Olympic events.
Fisher edged out home favourite Pauline Jagsch to win the women’s kayak single 500m title, while Kopasz secured men’s K1 1000m gold.
In the non-Olympic events, Hungary claimed two titles with victories for Agnes Anna Kiss and Sandor Totka, while Brazil’s Isaquias Guimaraes Queiroz and China’s Changwen Shuai and Wenjun Lin enjoyed wins and Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) picked up a gold medal.
Click here for live startlists and results from Brandenburg
Backed by a passionate home crowd, Jagsch staged a huge fight, putting Fisher under big pressure in an absorbing women’s K1 500m final.
There was little between them before Fisher kept her composure to cross the finish line first in 1:54.45.
Jagsch earned silver in 1:54.85, while the bronze went to Poland’s Anna Pulawska in 1:55.48.
“It was an epic contest in such difficult conditions,” said Fisher.
“That side wind really picked up just as we were coming into the startline.
“I don’t think I’ve ever raced with a perpendicular side wind so it needed a lot of skill and heart out there.”
In the only other Olympic event staged on the third day of competition, Hungary’s battled the elements to secure men’s K1 1000m gold.
Facing driving rain, strong wind and a stiff challenge from South Africa’s Hamish Lovemore from the outside lane, Kopasz came under pressure.
But the Hungarian showed all his experience to dig out the victory, finishing in a winning time of 3:35.23.
Lovemore led for much of the race before being beaten by Kopasz as he claimed silver in 3:36.04, while Australia’s Thomas Green bagged bronze in 3:36.52, pushing Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta out of the medal positions.
“I am very tired after that race,” said Kopasz.
“I hit my maximum speed over 200m and the wind was terrible out there between the last 500m and the finish.
“It was one of the hardest races for me as the opponents were very strong.
“I am very happy to win this race, it’s very special.”
Kiss overhauled China’s Mengya Sun to win women’s canoe single 500m gold.
Sun was looking strong over 450m only to hit a wall as Kiss produced a stunning fightback to overtake the Chinese paddler.
Kiss won the title in 2:12.30 as Sun held on for silver in 2:13.48 and Canada’s Sophia Jensen picked up bronze in 2:13.64.
A mere 0.10 separated the top three in the men’s K1 200m final as Hungary’s Totka emerged victorious.
Racing from lane nine, Totka clinched victory in 35.10, beating Slovenia’s Matevz Manfreda and Portugal’s Messias Baptista in a photo finish.
Manfreda earned silver in 35.18 as Baptista secured bronze in 35.20.
Guimaraes Queiroz held off China’s Bowen Ji to capture the men’s C1 500m crown.
After coming up short to Ji in Szeged last week, Guimaraes Queiroz refused buckle this time around.
The Brazilian dug deep to win in 1:52.55, triumphing by 0.10, as Ji crossed in 1:52.65 for silver.
Gabriel Assuncao Nascimento joined compatriot Guimaraes Queiroz on the podium when he placed third in 1:54.60.
Shuai and Lin dipped under 43 seconds as they clinched the women’s canoe double 200m title.
The Chinese pair got the better of Cuba’s Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys and Yinnoly Francheska Lopez Lamadrid after crossing in 42.88.
Cirilo Duboys and Lopez Lamadrid were just 0.15 off Shuai and Lin as they bagged silver in 43.03.
Uzbekistan’s Shokhsanam Sherzodova and Nilufar Zokirova clocked 43.71 for bronze.
AIN paddlers Alexey Korovashkov, Ivan Shtyl, Dmitrii Sharov and Matvei Arsenov secured men’s canoe four 500m gold.
They secured victory in 1:34.63 as Spain earned silver in 1:35.94 and China clinched bronze in 1:35.95.
Pictures by Ute Freise
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
Join Planet Canoe's YouTube channel for €9.99 per month to unlock members-only content and features
Related links
