Great Britain’s canoe slalom team have claimed four medals at the 2019 ECA European Championships, ahead of the World Cup taking place at Lee Valley White Water Centre this month.
The British slalom team, all based at Lee Valley White Water Centre, sent 10 athletes to the Championships held in Pau, France – the first international slalom event of the season.
Mallory Franklin led the way, winning gold and silver medals in the Canoe (C)1 and Kayak (K)1 categories and a C1 team gold with Kimberley Woods and Sophie Ogilvie, making her senior debut.
On the final day of competition in the women’s C1 final Mallory posted a clean run to finish more than ten seconds ahead of Nuria Vilarrubla from Spain, with British teammate Kimberley Woods claiming the bronze medal in third and Sophie Ogilvie in eighth place.
It was the first senior individual European title for the 24 year old from Windsor, who trains at Lee Valley with the British slalom squad.
Speaking after the race Mallory Franklin said:
“It is amazing to have won my first ever senior European title, it is really cool, but I don’t think it has sunk in yet. To have that kind of lead was really crazy.”
“I put down a really good run in the end today and had a clean run in the final which was good. It is such a hard place to paddle here, but I just kept a cool head and locked down my plan.
In the men’s events Olympic Champion Joe Clarke just missed out on a podium place in the final of the K1, finishing in fourth place after touching a gate in the final stages.
Commenting on his race Joe Clarke said:
“I am a bit gutted not to get a medal but to be the fastest boat in every single round is one of the most important things and without the touch I would have been European Champion, so things are going in the right direction.
“I certainly feel ready for the World Cup now and I am looking forward to getting back on the start line.”
In the men’ C1 three British athletes qualified for the final, with Adam Burgess in fifth place, 2018 European Champion Ryan Westley eighth, and Olympic silver medallist David Florence 10th.
The British slalom team are next in action on home soil when the 2019 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup London, presented by Jaffa, takes place at Lee Valley White Water Centre on Friday 14 to Sunday 16 June.
The World Cup is a fun day out for all the family, with a range of spectator activities available including an inflatable park, paddling on the water, beach soccer and volleyball, alongside supporting the British team as they take on the world’s best paddlers.
With Friday already sold out, weekend tickets are available to purchase in advance at the 2019 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup London website.
