The German trio of Ricarda Funk, Sebastian Schubert and Sideris Tasiadis will be out to defend their series leads when the 2017 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup program heads to Ivrea, Italy, this coming weekend.
Australia’s Jessica Fox in the women’s C1 and the Czech pairing of Jonas Kaspar and Marek Sindler in the men’s C2 have also entered this week’s competition as leaders in their disciplines.
Ivrea will be the fourth in a five-event World Cup program, which culminates at La Seu D'Urgell in Spain next month before the World Championships in Pau, France, at the end of September.
Funk heads into Ivrea as the form paddler in women’s K1, having dominated the last two World Cups with big wins in Augsburg and Markkleeberg, but can expect strong challenges from a field that includes Olympic silver and bronze medallists, Luuka Jones from New Zealand and Fox from Australia.
Schubert has been rewarded for consistency this season. Although he is yet to win a World Cup, he finished second in Markkleeberg, third in Prague and fourth in Augsburg.
He can expect a strong challenge from leading local hope, Giovanni De Gennaro, a winner at Ivrea previously and gold medallist from Markkleeberg this year, and from Czech Vit Prindis, who won the opening two World Cups in Prague and Augsburg but failed to make the final in Markkleeberg.
Germany’s Tasiadis won the opening World Cup gold in the C1 in Prague, and followed up with seconds in Augsburg and Markkleeberg to take a stranglehold on the competition, but will have to stare down challenges from Slovakian pair Michal Martikan and Matej Benus, winners in Markkleeberg and Augsburg respectively.
After missing the C1 final in Prague because of a 50-second penalty, Fox has bounced back to claim victory at both Augsburg and Markkleeberg, and with the absence of Great Britain pair Mallory Franklin and Kimberley Woods this weekend, will see a chance to tighten her grip on the standings.
Likewise Kaspar and Sindler will look to put further daylight between themselves and the remainder of the C2 field, having won both Prague and Markkleeberg and finished second in Augsburg.
ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup four begins in Ivrea on Friday, with finals on Saturday and Sunday.
