The second leg in the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup Series will take place in Prague, Czechia this weekend.
The season is officially underway after the opening World Cup in Tacen, Slovenia, where the Hocevar siblings dazzled, an Italian rising star made his mark, and a three-time Olympic champion returned in style.
Now, Prague’s iconic Troja course will play host to the next World Cup in the five-stop series from June 5 to 7.
Click here for live startlists and results from Prague
Here are our five things to look out for this weekend.
- Fox sisters reunited for Prague challenge
Last week, Australia’s Jessica Fox made her first appearance on the international stage since her recovery from kidney surgery. It was a successful return to action with the triple Olympic gold medallist earning silver in the women’s kayak. A wrist injury saw her pull out of the women’s canoe and women’s kayak cross events. Fox returns to Prague where she is set to compete in K1 and C1 and will be joined her sister Noemie Fox who missed the World Cup in Tacen. Noemie Fox is set to compete in kayak cross – the event she is Olympic champion in – as well as C1 and K1.
- Funk’s back as Germany select strong team
Another Olympic gold medallist returning to the startlist is Germany’s Ricarda Funk. The K1 champion at Tokyo 2020 will look to pick up from where she left off after capturing the World Cup Series crown in kayak cross in Augsburg last year. Funk is also the world number one in K1 as she aims to challenge the likes of Jessica Fox and Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods. She is part of a strong Germany team that features the likes of Noah Hegge, Sideris Tasiadis, Stefan Hengst and Andrea Herzog.
- Hocevar siblings looking to continue hot streak
It was a weekend to remember for the Hocevar family in Tacen as they came away with four medals. Eva Alina Hocevar clinched women’s K1 gold and women’s C1 silver, while her younger brother Ziga Lin Hocevar also delivered in emphatic fashion. Backed by the home crowd, the Slovenian teenager powered to the men’s C1 and men’s kayak cross titles. It was a breakthrough moment for Eva Alina Hocevar as it was her first-ever World Cup triumph and it was a big statement from Ziga Lin Hocevar as he started the season with two impressive performances. They will arrive in Prague eager to build on those displays.
- Can Gestin and Castryck respond?
Hocevar’s victory in the men’s C1 ended Nicolas Gestin’s long unbeaten record in the event as the Frenchman finished outside the medal positions. A two-second penalty cost him a place on the podium. Gestin will be determined to bounce back in Prague where he has fond memories after topping a French one-two-three last year. While 18-year-old Hocevar shone brightly in C1, another rising star stole the show in K1. Former junior world champion Xabier Ferrazzi of Italy emerged victorious for his first World Cup win as France’s Titouan Castryck and Anatole Delassus failed to make the final. Castryck struck gold in Prague last year and will be desperate to return to winning ways.
- Prskavec returns to bolster Czech team
After skipping the World Cup opener in Tacen, Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Jiri Prskavec is back in the Czech squad. Prskavec will compete in the men’s K1 along with Vit Prindis who also returns and world silver medallist Jakub Krejci. The latter picked up bronze medals in men’s K1 and men’s kayak cross individual in Tacen last week. Tereza Kneblova also made a stunning start to the season with victory in the women’s C1 where she is expected to challenge for top honours again. Kneblova will also be hoping to replicate her performance from Prague last year in kayak cross where she came out on top.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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