The latest ICF canoe sprint world rankings are out, and there are some surprise event leaders ahead of this year’s world championships in Szeged, Hungary.
Ranking points have been awarded over three events – last year’s ICF canoe sprint world championships in Portugal, and the opening two world cups of this year. Athletes who competed in all three events figure prominently in the ranking tables.
The rankings will be used to establish seedings and lane draws for world championships and Olympic Games. It will also be used for invitations to Super Cup and other invitational events.
Canada’s Laurence Vincent-Lapointe has dominated the women’s new Olympic event, the C1 200, and that is reflected in the world rankings. Her three victories puts her on 300 points, well ahead of China’s Luqi Zhang on 208 points.
Vincent-Lapointe and Katie Vincent are also clear leaders in the C2 500, ahead of China and Germany.
Reigning world champion Fernando Pimenta heads the men’s K1 1000 list, ahead of Czech Josef Dostal who broke through for a win at this year’s second world cup in Duisburg. Denmark’s Rene Poulsen is third.
Denmark’s Emma Jorgensen competed in all three women’s K1 200 events, taking gold in Duisburg and finishing runner-up in Poznan and at last year’s world championships. She leads Sweden’s Linnea Stensils and New Zealand’s two-time Olympic gold medalist, Lisa Carrington.
The tables are turned in the women’s K1 500, with Carrington leading the table despite having competed in just two of the eligible events. Jorgensen is second, and Poland’s Anna Pulawska, a surprise winner in Duisburg, sitting third.
Lithuania’s Arturas Seja heads the men’s K1 200 list, ahead of Olympic silver medalist Maxime Beaumont of France, with Rio gold medalist Liam Heath ranked third. Heath won both events he competed in.
Team boats are ranked by country and not by individual. In the men’s K2 1000, Germany lead the way despite having different combinations in the boat over the three events. Australia sits second, and Denmark third.
Germany is a clear leader in the men’s K4 500 having won all three qualifying races. France is second and Portugal third.
France leads the women’s K2 500, ahead of Poland and Germany, while Poland is ahead of Germany and New Zealand in the women’s K4 500.
Czech Martin Fuksa has been a model of consistency in the C1 1000. His three silver medals puts him into the top-ranked position, ahead of two-time Olympic gold medalist Sebastian Brendel of Germany.
Germany clearly leads the men’s C2 1000 off the back of two gold medals and a silver medal. Poland is second and France third.
The complete world ranking lists for all Olympic and non-Olympic canoe sprint classes can be found here.
