Intensity is increasing in Augsburg, Germany as paddlers prepare to make one final push for the overall crowns in the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup Series.
The Augsburg Eiskanal will play host to the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Final from tomorrow until Sunday.
After thrilling competitions in La Seu, Pau, Prague and Tacen, the five-leg series will reach its conclusion in the Bavarian city where double points will be on offer.
Germany’s Ricarda Funk is in pole position in the overall women’s kayak standings and will hope to make home advantage count in Augsburg.
Click here for live startlists and results from Augsburg
Funk is the defending World Cup Series champion and leads the way on 192 points but she faces stiff competition.
Evy Leibfarth of the United States is 12 points behind Funk after achieving back-to-back podium spots, while Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods’ victory in Tacen last weekend has put her on 169 points in third.
The French team are in a strong position to pick up several overall titles with Titouan Castryck, Yohann Senechault and Camille Prigent leading categories.
Prigent has taken kayak cross individual time-trials by storm this season, finishing in the top two of every World Cup which has given her a 52-point advantage at the summit.
She has also starred in the kayak cross head-to-head format and is level on points with Czechia’s Tereza Kneblova at the top of the overall leaderboard.
Castryck and Anatole Delassus have been battling it out for the series title in the men’s K1 all season.
Olympic silver medallist Castryck has won three out of the four World Cups to put him in first place but Delassus will be determined to retain the overall crown by ending his waiting for a first win this year after three silver medals.
Reigning Olympic champion Nicolas Gestin arrives in Augsburg high on confidence after two successive World Cup wins in the men’s canoe.
His victories have seen him to climb to third place, closing the gap on overall leader Senechault to 32 points, while teammate Mewen Debliquy is in second position to underline France’s dominance in this category.
“It’s a good battle against a friend (in Gestin),” said Senechault.
“It is a pleasure to practice with him and now I will try to beat him in Augsburg and we will see.”
In the women’s C1, Spain’s Miren Lazkano holds top spot but has the likes of Slovakia’s Zuzana Pankova, Leibfarth, Ukraine’s Viktoriia Us and Woods breathing down her neck heading into the World Cup Final.
Mathurin Madore is another French paddler in the mix for an overall crown. He sits in second position in the men’s kayak cross, 14 points behind Switzerland’s Jan Rohrer following his morale-boosting win in Tacen.
Spain’s Manuel Ochoa and Great Britain’s Jonny Dickson will also be among those chasing kayak cross glory.
The overall men’s kayak cross individual standings is led by Czechia’s Jakub Krejci.
Victory in Pau followed by silver medals in Prague and Tacen has put Krejci in first position on 198 points.
Great Britain’s Sam Leaver is determined to get the better of Krejci as he lies in second place, 21 points behind the Czech speedster.
“It’s really good to be the current overall leader but I know that the double points in the Augsburg World Cup will make it really interesting,” said Krejci.
“I have got to make one more result to keep it.
“It’s always a tight fight with Sam so I am so excited to race again in Augsburg and try to do my best.”
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Final can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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