Slovenia’s Peter Kauzer wound back the clock and Slovakia’s Eliska Mintalova won her first ever gold on a thrilling day of racing at the ICF slalom world cup in La Seu, Spain, on Saturday.
Kauzer, who put off retirement after the Tokyo Olympics to try and qualify for a fifth Games, took gold in the men’s K1 in La Seu, six days short of his 40th birthday.
“I just wanted to do a good run in the finals, I’d had some difficulties at the first part of the season,I couldn’t progress to the finals, and now I’m really happy that I could prove that I’m still worthy of being here,” Kauzer said.
“I feel totally different than I did at the first part of the season. I showed that I am still fast, even though I will turn 40 in a couple of days, so I hope it won’t go downhill from there. I’m happy that I am still here and can still show some magic on the water.
“The competition is getting harder and harder every year and I’m not getting any younger, but I proved that if I still do the run I can, I’m not allowed to make any mistakes, but I can still be fast and today I proved that.”
The 2016 Rio silver medalist benefited by posting an error-free run, which edged him ahead of British 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Joe Clarke, and Czech reigning world champion, Vit Prindis – both who had gate touches and two-second penalties.
Reigning Olympic champion Jiri Prskavec was the big name missing from the final, after the Czech received a 50-second penalty for missing a gate in the semi-final. It was the 13th world cup gold of Kauzer’s career.
At the opposite end of the scale Slovakia’s Elena Mintalova celebrated her first world cup gold of her career, posting an error-free run in the women’s K1 final to deny Australia’s Jessica Fox, who was aiming for a third consecutive world cup gold for the season.
The win came at a crucial time for Mintalova, as La Seu was also the first leg of the Olympic selection race for Paris 2024.
“I don’t know what to say, it’s an amazing day for me, I tried to push so hard on the course, and I did it, I won my first gold medal in a world cup,” Mintalova said.
“I have been feeling very good on the water in training, but didn’t have the best run in qualification, but my final race was much better. La Seu is very challenging, very hard and was tricky today.”
Fox posted the fastest raw time on the course, but a small touch pushed her down to the silver medal. Italy’s Stefanie Horn took the bronze.
RESULTS
WOMEN’S K1
- MINTALOVA Eliska (SVK) 99.36 (0 seconds in penalties)
- FOX Jessica (AUS) 99.42 (2)
- HORN Stefanie (ITA) 100.23 (0)
MEN’S K1
- KAUZER Peter (SLO) 89.36 (0)
- CLARKE Joseph (GBR) 90.44 (2)
- PRINDIS Vit (CZE) 90.90 (2)
Pics by Marc Etxaniz
