Dutch star Donato Freens and Hungarian ace Csillag Kocsis were the big winners from the fourth leg of the International Canoe Federation Stand Up Paddling World Ranking Series.
Freens and Kocsis both picked up two gold medals after an impressive few days on the Austrian waters at the SUP Alps Trophy THE LAKE ROCKS in Villach.
It has been a fantastic series for Kocsis who continued her red-hot form with another golden double.
All three of the women’s events in Villach turned out to be a showdown between Kocsis and Spain’s Esperanza Barreras.
Kocsis got the better of Barreras in both the sprint and technical, while the Spaniard emerged victorious in the long distance.
The Hungarian sealed her first gold of the week in the women’s sprint after crossing the finish line in 1:02.40.
Barreras had to settle for silver in 1:02.70, as Italy’s Lisa Venturelli clocked 1:04.40 for bronze.
In the women’s long distance, Barreras sealed top spot in 1:15:41.07, beating Kocsis who clinched silver in 1:15:44.30.
Greece’s Kyriaki Logotheti posted a time of 1:20:49.85 for bronze.
Kocsis responded by capturing the women’s technical, pushing Barreras into second spot, while Logotheti of Greece bagged another bronze.
While Kocsis achieved two titles in the women’s events, Freens did the same in the men’s races.
The Dutchman’s first gold came in the men’s long distance, triumphing in a time of 1:09:44.56.
Germany’s Normen Weber sealed silver in 1:10:14.50, with Australia’s Michael Booth clinching bronze in 1:10:52.16.
Freens completed his brace of titles with victory in the men’s technical, as Booth finished second and Germany’s 16-year-old paddler Benyam Bossack marked his first senior international appearance with a bronze.
Weber sealed the men’s sprint title in 51.09, seeing off Greece’s Phaedon Doukas who registered 51.41 for silver and Italy’s Filippo Mercuriali secured bronze in 51.71.
Photos by Andy Klotz Photography
The ICF SUP World Ranking Series will conclude when Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates holds the ICF SUP World Championships from October 29 to November 2.
More details on the 2025 ICF SUP World Ranking Series can be found here.
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