With the world’s best paddlers set to go into battle in Milan, we spoke with our three experts to find out which athletes they believe are the ones to watch out for.
Australia’s Alyce Wood, Great Britain’s Emma Wiggs and Ireland’s Jennifer Egan-Simmons, who will join Ross Solly to form our commentary team, gave their predictions for the upcoming International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in the Italian city.
Which event are you most looking forward to watching?
Wood: I always love the K4s, especially in year one of an Olympic cycle. Some countries have fielded completely new crews, whereas others have stuck with similar ones to the last cycle. We saw the start of a changing of the guard in the World Cups, and I’m excited to see the battles continue at the World Championships.
Wiggs: I think the men's KL3 category will be an exceptionally close race this year. At the last World Championships there were just 1.5 seconds between all nine boats and with Georgia’s Serhii Yemelianov back on a World Championships start line this year it's going to be epic.
Egan-Simmons: I am looking forward to the 5000m events the most as this is my favourite distance. It encompasses all the elements of our sport, aerobic and anaerobic physiological components along with the correct technique to propel our boat forward as well as wash hanging skills and tactics. It is going to be so exciting.
Which three paddlers do you expect to make a big impact in Milan?
Wood: I’m very biased here as she’s my old training partner but Natalia Drobot is a very exciting prospect this Olympic cycle. She’s fresh off winning medals in all Olympic events at the World Cups, and she was just crowned U23 world champion in the K1 500m. And she’s only 20 years old. Martin Fuksa – what can’t he do?! He’s no stranger to the big stage and winning races and he looks as fresh as ever coming into this season. The composure the Czech shows on the start line and through races is incredibly impressive. Fresh off his first World Cup medal, Hamish Lovemore is my darkhorse going into the men’s K1 1000. In true South African form, he loves marathon racing and puts his hand up for as many competitions as possible. So whilst he may not be the speediest out of the blocks, keep an eye out for him near the end, especially if we see any wind or chop about.
Wiggs: I think Martin Fuksa will dominate the C1. He’s been in brilliant form all season and I think the best could still be to come. I'm also really excited to see the Spanish C2 of Joan Antoni Moreno and Diego Dominguez. I think they could claim their first-ever C2 world title. I'm excited to see Brianna Hennessy from Canada in the women’s VL2 going for her first world title. I expect the legend Jeanette Chippington to push her all the way - two phenomenal female athletes.
Egan-Simmons: I expect Czechia’s Josef Dostal to make a big impact in Milan in the men’s K1 1000m in which he is Olympic champion from Paris 2024 and the K1 500m. Having just become a father for the first time I think he will have added motivation. Denmark’s Mads Brandt Pedersen and Sweden’s Melina Andersson are fresh off double gold medals in the short and long races at The World Games in China, so I think they will dominate their respective categories in the K1 5000m. Veronica Biglia is the current European champion in the women’s VL2 200m and is one to look out for on her home territory in Italy.
Who is your darkhorse?
Wood: The Dutch women’s K2 of Selma Konijn and Ruth Vorsselman. They made their Olympic debut last year after earning their quotas in the last chance selection in fine fashion and have gone from strength to strength ever since. I know they would have been disappointed to not be on the podium in the K2 at the World Cups, but I’m sure Konijn’s medal in the K1 gave them enough motivation to make some big moves over the last few months since the World Cups. And, how exciting to see the orange vest back near the top of races after a couple of decades?
Wiggs: I'll be keeping an eye on Hamish Lovemore. He exploded onto the sprint scene this year with a silver in Szeged, after mainly doing marathon. He’s an exciting talent who just seems to race without fear.
Egan-Simmons: This is an interesting question, I think the darkhorse for the men’s K1 1000m final is Hamish Lovemore. He won his first K1 1000m World Cup medal this year in Szeged, Hungary winning the silver medal, just pipped on the line by Balint Kopasz. Lovemore will want to make his stamp at the World Championships level in men’s K1 1000m final. I am also excited to see how Chile’s Maria Jose Mailliard performs as she became a mum in March of this year and came fourth in the C1 5000m at the World Cup in Szeged only two and a half months after giving birth. Mailliard is also the reigning World champion in the C1 5000m from 2024.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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