The first day of individual finals at the 2018 ECA Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom European Championships in Bratislava brought new European Champions.
Miquel Trave won his second junior title of the year. He was junior World Champion in C1 this year and now he added the junior European Champion title in K1 final. Daria Shaidurova is the new junior C1W European Champion, David Llorente K1M U23 Champion and Monika Skachova women's C1 U23 Champion.
One of the best young paddlers and future stars of canoe slalom, Miquel Trave is the new junior European Champion in men's K1. He was tenth after the semi-final run, but in the decisive race of the championships he produced the best run of all to cross the finish line eight seconds faster than in his first performance of the day.
Trave is the reigning junior World Champion in canoe event. Saturday's final was tight, as only one second divided Trave in first place and Jan Barta from the Czech Republic who was third. Another Czech kayaker, Tomas Zima, finished the final run in second place.
"The run was really, really good," Trave said.
"I planned everything like I did. I train a lot in C1, a few times in K1. Now I was able to calm down. My run was totally fine."
In the women's junior C1 final Russian representative Daria Shaidurova showed the best run to win the Junior European Champion title in front of Slovak favourite Sona Stanovska and Czech canoeist Gabriela Satkova.
"It is really good, the race was ok, so I am satified. I did not expect to win," said the gold medallist of women's junior C1 final.
David Llorente won the second gold medal of the day for Spain in an exciting men's U23 K1 final. Jakub Grigar (SVK) was 1.57 seconds behind to pick up the silver medal and German kayaker Lukas Stahl finished the race in third position.
"My race was really good. I was nervous at the start line, but then I focused and enjoyed a lot during the run. I felt I was with the water all the time and at this course if you go with the water you can be really fast. I am happy," said Llorente.
In the last final of the day Slovak Monika Skachova won a gold medal for the host nation.
Tereza Fišerova from Czech Republic was second and Margaux Henry from France third.
"I was feeling great on the water since I started," Skachova said.
"There was a small mistake on gate 11 which I touched but I wasn't shaken up, continued in the rhythm and I'm all excited about the result."
On Sunday this European Championships will close with semi-final and final runs in men's
C1 and women's K1 junior and U23 events.
Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/CanoeEurope
Liveresults: https://siwidata.com/canoelive/#/live/eca/1372
Website: http://canoebratislava.sk/
Facebook page of the event: https://www.facebook.com/CanoeSlalomBratislava/
