Lausanne, Switzerland 21 August 2012 – Three Olympic medalists and several athletes from the London 2012 Olympic Games have confirmed their participation at the 2012 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague.
The Prague World Cup which will be held from 23-25 August (Friday-Sunday) is the fourth of five World Cups in ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Series.
300 paddlers from 30 countries will go through an artificial course positioned on the lower end of the Vltava River where the Prague Canoeing Center (venue) is situated.
Czech Team primed for success after London 2012 and Wausau World Championships
Chourraut looking to continue best season ever
A bronze medallist at the Olympic Games and winner of 2 of 3 World Cups this season, Maialen Chourraut (ESP) headlines an increasingly competitive field of Women’s K1 paddlers. Chourraut’s performance at the Olympic Games gave Spain its first medal in Canoe Slalom.
Katerina Kudejova (CZE) is riding on the wave of success having won the Women’s K1 U23 World Championship title in Wausau. She will face strong competition from teammate Stepanka Hilgertova (CZE) who placed 4th in the final at the Olympic Games, the 2010 and 2011 World Champion Corinna Kuhnle (AUT) who finished in 8th place at the Games and Jana Dukatova (SVK) who finished in 6th place.
“This season is very hard for me,” said Dukatova. “I’m missing the good shape of previous years and that's why (also) my performance at the Games wasn't perfect.
“After the Games I rested for a week and then I started with some light preparation for the World Cups. After the main part of the season my body is quite tired, so I'm just trying to keep it running for the next two weeks and then I will finish up the season.”
Women’s Canoe category on the rise
Developing Canoeing countries are now looking to the Women’s Canoe category to gain an advantage in elite Canoeing. Rosalyn Lawrence (AUS), one of the world’s leading women canoeists and the reigning Women’s C1 U23 World Champion has noticed the increase in the number of new girls paddling C1 and the Start Lists that include new countries such as Ireland, Italy and Japan.
“I think these girls are training and racing with the expectation that Women’s C1 will be in the Olympic program in 2016, and I hope they aren't disappointed!”
Lawrence faces a growing challenge from an increasing list of elite young Women C1 paddlers, including Katerina Hoskova (CZE) the 2011 World Champion, who will undoubtedly be boosted by home support this weekend. In hot pursuit is Great Britain’s Mallory Franklin and Kimberley Woods who regularly challenge each other and the rest of the field, as well as Caroline Loir (FRA), Nuria Vilarrubla (ESP) and Lena Stoeckler (GER).
Races begin at 09h00 each day and ends at 18h45 on Friday (heats) and 14h15 on Saturday and Sunday afternoon with the finals.
The 2012 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup 4 is presented by the International Canoe Federation (ICF) and the Czech Canoe Union.
For more information on the Prague World Cup visit: <http://www.slalomtroja.cz> www.slalomtroja.cz .
