The 2023 World Champs was run in Vejen, Denmark, in mostly windy conditions. The final day consisted of the K2 races, with a lot of exciting racing – big groups, tactical portages, and super close end sprints.
In both the men’s and women’s races, the competition was incredibly close, with less than two seconds separating the medalists in each event.
The women’s K2 race featured a particularly tight finish, with two Hungarian boats and teams from Spain and South Africa battling it out. Hungary’s Vanada Kiszli, a former champion from 2017, teamed up with 2021 champion Emese Kohalmi to reclaim the title for Hungary, with Spain’s Tania Fernandez and Tania Alvarez settling for silver. Hungary also secured the bronze in this event.
In the men’s K2, the Portuguese duo of Jose Ramalho and Fernando Pimenta won gold, narrowly defeating France’s Quentin Urban and Jeremy Candy. Norwegian brothers Jon and Eivind Vold took home the bronze.
Overall, Hungary emerged as the most successful nation at the championships, with 16 medals, including seven golds. Spain followed closely with five gold medals and a total of 14 medals. Sixteen different countries were represented on the podium, showcasing the global nature of canoe racing competition.
For more on the 2023 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships, see the ICF’s website here.
