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With titles decided across kayak, canoe, C2 and team events, the programme highlighted both the competitive quality and the special international spirit of Masters canoe slalom. Several races were decided by less than one second, while the Championships also featured the historic introduction of a Women’s C2 competition.

Mixed C2 delivers a thrilling start

The Mixed C2 events provided exciting racing from the opening day, with extremely close finishes across the different age groups.

In the 35–44 category, Germany’s Meike Kern and Marcus Kern celebrated a memorable victory on their first appearance at an international Masters competition. The couple, already multiple German Masters champions, produced a strong second run to finish in 128.38 seconds.

Only 0.02 seconds separated them from the Czech crew of Petr Jindrák and Anna Kasparová, who took silver in 128.40. Poland’s Anna Bomba and Marcin Labiszak completed the podium, finishing just 2.47 seconds behind the winners.

Another close contest followed in the 45–69 category. Martina Kolarová and Daniel Rubín of Czechia improved considerably in their second run and secured the title with a total time of 133.01. Germany’s Grit Schubert and Joel Scott were only 0.44 seconds behind, while the French crew of Davy Egraz and Fanny Mino-Vercellio Egraz took bronze.

The 50+ title went to the international partnership of Eva Huss and Robert Filipi. Huss, a two-time world champion in the K1 team event in 1997 and 1999, combined her considerable international experience with Filipi to record a winning time of 140.69. Germany’s Sandra Schmidt and Thomas Kühn finished second, 1.79 seconds behind.

These competitions once again demonstrated one of the distinctive features of Masters canoe slalom, with athletes able to form crews across national borders and share their experience and passion for the sport.

Historic premiere for Women’s C2

The Championships included a significant moment for women’s canoeing as a Women’s C2 competition was held for the first time at the Paddle Europe Slalom Masters Championships.

The historic first title was won by Germany’s Sandra Schmidt and Meike Kern, who completed a penalty-free opening run in 148.57 seconds. For Kern, it was her second gold medal of the Championships following her victory with Marcus Kern in Mixed C2.

Schmidt also brought extensive experience to the crew. The 1991 Freestyle World Champion and multiple Masters World and European Championships medallist helped guide the boat to the inaugural title.

Kate Kent of Great Britain and Grit Schubert of Germany took silver. Kent, herself a Masters World Champion in C1, joined Schubert for an international partnership that improved significantly during the second run.

The Czech crew of Anna Kasparová and Marta Mulacová claimed bronze. Kasparová, a former Czech national team athlete in both K1 and C1, added another podium to her successful Championships.

The introduction of Women’s C2 represented another important step in the development and diversity of Masters canoe slalom, creating new opportunities for athletes and new partnerships between nations.

Czech and French crews lead the Men’s C2 races

Czechia and France shared the three Men’s C2 titles.

In the 40–44 category, former Czech national team athlete Jan Merenus and Ladislav Stastny dominated the competition. Two clean runs helped them record a winning time of 116.93, placing them 9.34 seconds ahead of France’s Jacques Despierres and Vincent Froger.

The 45–59 category was won by Jean-Charles Reby and Davy Egraz of France. After receiving a four-second penalty in their opening run, the French crew delivered a clean second run in 119.80 to secure the title.

Poland’s Robert Dudzinski and Marcin Labiszak took silver, while Czech paddlers Jiri Vetrovsky and Petr Jindrák completed the podium.

The oldest C2 category produced an all-Czech podium. Jiri Benhak and Ladislav Benhak, who were members of the world-title-winning C2 team in 1977, demonstrated that their competitive qualities remain intact as they won the 60–70+ category.

Jiri Sramek and Robert Filipi finished second, with Miroslav Hajducik and Tomas Rencin taking bronze.

Close battles throughout the Men’s K1 programme

Italy’s Lukas Mayr produced the fastest winning time in the Masters individual programme, recording 94.75 seconds to take the Men’s K1 35–39 title. France’s Valentin Brindeau and Finland’s Teijo Tarkka completed the podium.

One of the closest individual races came in the 40–44 category. France’s Mehdi Amini won in 97.09, only 0.23 seconds ahead of Germany’s Friedemann Barthel. Jérôme Olhagaray of France was also less than one second behind the winner in third.

France continued its success through Vincent Froger, winner of the 45–49 category, and Davy Egraz, who took the 50–54 title.

Germany’s Ingo Kriesinger produced one of the best recoveries of the Championships in the 55–59 category. After receiving a 50-second penalty in his first run, Kriesinger delivered a clean second attempt in 98.71 to defeat Finland’s Petri Voutilainen by 0.75 seconds.

Xavier Jourdain of France won the 60–64 competition, while Italy claimed the next two age groups through Walter Weger in 65–69 and Hansjörg Mayr in 70–79.

Germany’s Wolfgang Ernst completed the Men’s K1 champions list by winning the 80+ category, underlining the lifelong nature of the sport.

France and Germany prominent in Women’s K1

France opened the Women’s K1 programme with victories in two categories.

Sarah Després won the 35–39 event in 107.16, finishing 1.68 seconds ahead of compatriot Caroline Loir. Poland’s Anna Bomba took bronze.

Poland secured gold in the 40–44 category through Joanna Medon, who improved in the second run to win in 109.92. Anna Kasparová of Czechia finished second and Austria’s Laure Piechaczyk took third.

In the 45–49 category, Sophie Colbus of France claimed the title ahead of Great Britain’s Kate Kent and Germany’s Grit Schubert.

Germany then dominated the following three age groups. Eva Huss won the 50–54 title following a close contest with Slovakia’s Elena Kaliska, who finished only 1.84 seconds behind.

Sandra Schmidt added the Women’s K1 55–59 title to her historic Women’s C2 gold, while Kordula Striepecke led a German clean sweep of the podium in the 60–64 category.

The final Women’s K1 title went to Czechia’s Drahomira Plasilova, who won the combined 65–70+ category ahead of compatriot Vera Samesova and Austria’s Renate George.

Canoe titles shared across seven nations

The individual C1 events produced champions from Austria, Great Britain, Czechia, France, Poland, Germany and Italy.

Austria’s Julia Schmid won the Women’s C1 35–44 competition, finishing ahead of Caroline Loir of France and Anna Kasparová of Czechia.

In the combined 45–59 category, Great Britain’s Kate Kent produced the winning performance. Sandra Schmidt and Grit Schubert completed the podium for Germany.

The Men’s C1 35–44 title was claimed by Ondrej Kopicka of Czechia, who held off Marcus Kern of Germany by 0.81 seconds. Poland’s Jakub Sierota finished third.

Vincent Froger added the Men’s C1 45–49 title to his Men’s K1 victory, while Poland’s Mariusz Wieczorek won the 50–54 category with a strong second run of 105.35.

Germany’s Oliver Weist took gold in the 55–59 event, and Italy’s Gianni Campana won the 60–69 category.

Wolfgang Ernst completed a remarkable individual double for Germany, adding the Men’s C1 80+ title to his victory in K1.

International cooperation celebrated in the team events

The team programme concluded the Championships with a combination of national and international crews.

Czechia won the Men’s C2 team event, defeating France by only 0.93 seconds. The Czech team combined the crews of Jiri and Ladislav Benhak, Jan Merenus and Ladislav Stastny, and Robert Gotvald and Daniel Rubín.

The Women’s C1 team title went to the international combination of Anna Kasparová, Caroline Loir and Grit Schubert, representing Czechia, France and Germany.

Italy won the open Men’s K1 team competition through Stefan Senoner, Lukas Mayr and Markus Hager. Germany followed in second, while the international French-Finnish team of Mehdi Amini, Davy Egraz and Petri Voutilainen took third.

Germany secured both Women’s K1 team titles. Sandra Schmidt, Kordula Striepecke and Eva Huss won the open competition, while Angelique Leonhard, Britta Sawukaytis and Martina Rübhausen took the 55+ title.

The open Men’s C1 team competition was won by the international trio of Gianni Campana, Aivars Eiduks and Oliver Weist, representing Italy, Latvia and Germany. France finished only 1.57 seconds behind.

Germany also won the Men’s K1 55+ team event, with Stefan Senft, Markus Berg and Andreas Leonhard taking victory by just 0.07 seconds over Italy in another extremely close contest for the podium positions.

The final title of the programme went to Czechia in the Mixed C2 team event. Petr Jindrák and Anna Kasparová, Jan and Barbora Merenus, and Martina Kolarová and Daniel Rubín combined to defeat Germany by only 0.98 seconds.

Across the two days of racing, the Championships demonstrated that competitive ambition, international friendship and a lifelong passion for canoe slalom remain at the heart of the Masters community.