Rene Holten Poulsen (DEN) will look to add to his tally of four K1M 1000m World Cup medals in Racice, Czech Republic this weekend as the second of three 2016 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cups is contested.

The 27-year-old Dane won the K1M 1000m at the first World Cup of the season continuing the form that saw him become the events World Champion in Milan late last August.

Poulsen has won a record four World Cup medals in K1M 1000m on the well-known Racice course. He has also finished second in this boat at the 2015 European Championships in Racice.

Like Poulsen, Canada’s Adam Van Koeverden has been a frequent attendee to the World Cup podium with 26 top three finishes in the K1M 1000m (G12, S9, B5).

The Canadian is also third in this century's list of World Cup race wins with 23 to Andreas Dittmer (GER) and Katalin Lovacs (HUN) 24.

However, Van Koeverden has not stepped up to receive a medal since his a second place finish in the K2M 1000m in Poznan in 2013. His last World Cup K1M 1000m victory was in Moscow in 2012.

Now assured of a place at this year’s Olympic Games following his results at the recent Pan American Qualification event, Van Koeverden will look to return to the form that saw him dominate the sport just a few years ago.



In all major events in Racice in this century, Raman Piatrushenka (BLR) has won most medals in a specific boat. He has won six medals in K2M 500m, including European bronze in 2015.

In 2004, the World Cup event in Racice was held in June, two months before the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, with two boats winning both events - Germany in both the K4W 500m and K2M 500m.

The gold medal in K4W 500m in Athens, was Birgit Fischer's (GER/GDR) last of a record eight gold medals in canoe sprint at the Olympic Games.

Following silver (K1W 200m) and bronze (K1W 500m) Inna Osipenko-Rodomska (AZE) could hand Azerbaijan its first World Cup win in a women's event this weekend.

Brendal has won 14 World Cup races in one particular event (C1M 1000m). In this century (2000-present), only Katrin Wagner-Augustin has won more World Cup races in a specific event, 15 in K4 500m.

In the Rio Olympic cycle, Brendal has won 11 World Cup races, all in C1M 1000m. In this period (London 2012-Rio 2016), only Lisa Carrington has also won at least 11 World Cup races in one specific event (11 in K1 200m).

Belarus needs four podium finishes in men's events to become the sixth country with 100+ World Cup podiums in men's events since 2000. Germany has the most, 227.

Belgium's only gold in a World Cup race in this century came in K2M 1000m in Racice in 2009.

Artuur Peters (BEL) hopes to become the next Belgium winner of a World Cup race. He finished second in K1M 1000 in Duisburg last week.

In Duisburg, Danuta Kozak (HUN) extended her unbeaten run in K1W 500m at major events to six participations, since a second-place finish at the 2013 European Championships.

Action starts on Friday (27th May) with Heats and Semifinals followed by finals on Saturday and Sunday.