World Champion Joe Clarke MBE claimed a fantastic men's kayak gold on day two of the slalom World Cup in Krakow, Poland.
In his final event before heading to Paris 2024 next month, Clarke (Stafford & Stone) pulled out an unbeatable time in the final to claim his second gold medal of the season as the double 2023 World Champion prepares for his second Olympics.
After storming the heats yesterday, Clarke cruised through the semi-finals to see himself seventh down in the final.
Going in search of a strong time set by Czechia's Vit Prindis, Clarke brought his trademark speed to a course he's enjoyed so much success on in the past, coming up quicker on the first two splits.
Losing a bit of time at the third split, the Rio 2016 Olympic Champion perfected the final section of the course to post a clean 85.33 and emerge victorious for the first time in the kayak since winning the World title at Lee Valley last season.
Delighted to win his first medal of the World Cup series, Clarke said:
“This is a huge result. I've put down good runs in the heats throughout the season, but not transferred them to semi-finals.
“This is my first World Cup final and a great run in the final too. It bodes well and builds the confidence for the Games next month.
“I've had lots of great results here in the past, winning bronze last season and silver in 2022, so I'm happy to win the gold.
“I've got the kayak cross now on Sunday and I'll be looking to win another medal in that.”
Lois Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) was Britain's second finalist of the day as she reached her second senior final in the women's kayak on her full senior debut season.
It was a great run from Leaver on a tough gate formation as she went third off in the final. Chasing Coline Charel's (France) time, the Scot went half a second behind in a clean 103.98.
Initially sat in second, she placed a great eighth overall for the U23 paddler.
She said:
“I'm really happy with how I've raced today. Yesterday wasn't great with a 50 in my first run, so I'm really glad to put down good runs today.
“It's great to reach another senior final. This my third in both senior and U23 so getting used to that final mentality and mindset is important. There's certainly more to come for me.
“I felt really good today. There were tricky bits to the course, but felt like a muscle your way through and put down the power.
“It really boosts the confidence for the rest of the season. The U23 Europeans are here so I'm delighted to put some solid runs down this week.”
It wasn't to be for Paris-bound Kimberley Woods (Rugby) as she looked set to join Leaver in the women's kayak final.
Quick on the early splits and despite two seconds on gate 15, Woods looked destined for a place in the final, but sadly for the kayak cross World Champion, she was adjudged to have missed gate eight upon review which took her out the running.
Jonny Dickson (CR Cats) was right on the bubble of joining fellow Brit Clarke in the men's kayak final.
What shaped up to be a really nice run, Dickson crossed the line clean in 89.59.
Sadly with another seven paddlers still to come down, the 2023 World Cup silver medallist was pushed down to 11th and just 0.01 off a final place.
Chris Bowers (Stafford & Stone) was also in the men's kayak semi-final action. Bowers picked up a two second penalty on gate 10, which saw him finish 21st in 93.14.
It wasn't to be for Nikita Setchell (Holme Pierrepont) as she took on her first senior women's kayak race of the season. Setchell picked up penalties on her route down the 22-gate course to finish 25th overall.
All five canoe Brits kicked-started the day with qualification to tomorrow morning's semi-finals.
On the course where he became European Games Champion last season, Ryan Westley (Lower Wharfe) picked up from where he left off as he powered down the men's canoe heats to initially go top in a clean time of 89.07.
With five paddlers left to go, only Miquel Trave (Spain) could better his time, meaning Westley qualified through in second place.
One of the five athletes still to go was British teammate and Paris 2024 Olympian Adam Burgess (Stafford & Stone). Like Westley, Burgess took on the course clean as he finished in seventh with a time of 90.54.
Kurts Adams Rozentals (Stafford & Stone) made it three from three at the first attempt.
Rozentals also enjoyed success on the Krakow course last season, winning U23 World Championship silver, and his time of 93.16 saw him comfortably through in 13th.
With a World Cup final already to her name this season, Ellis Miller (Lee Valley) booked her place in tomorrow's women's canoe semi-finals.
2024 is Miller's first full year on the senior team, and despite a very early touch on gate one, she kept her composure to deliver the rest of the run clean to finish 17th in 109.18, with the top 20 progressing.
Clubmate Phoebe Spicer (Lee Valley) needed the second run after touches took her out the running, but made amends with a much improved time of 114.13 seeing her finish seventh and into tomorrow's racing.
Full results from day two can be found here
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