Record Entry for Flatwater World Championships
Zagreb, Croatia - The 34th flatwater racing world championships get under way at Jarun Lake on the outskirts of Zagreb on Thursday, with a record entry of 717 athletes from 78 nations taking part.
The last flatwater world championships, held at Lake Lanier in Gainesville in the USA in 2003, attracted paddlers from 65 countries.
Almost all of the athletes that won Olympic titles have entered the regatta, setting up a rematch of many of the classic encounters that entertained the Olympic Games’ global audience.
Multiple Olympic Medallist Birgit Fischer is back, anchoring the favourite German Women’s K4. Fischer holds the record for Olympic medals won by a female paddler in successive Olympiads.
Canadian Olympic Men’s K1 Medallist Adam van Koeverden will be on of the first athletes in action, in his 1000m heat shortly after 9am on Thursday.
The purpose built regatta course on the outskirts of Zagreb has not been affected by the flooding that has ravaged central Europe this week. The Sava river which passes just a few hundred metres from the course is still in spate and many low-lying region are under water after the torrential rains.
The racing begins on Thursday, with the 1000m and 500m heats, which will enter the semi-final stage on Friday. All the 1000m finals will take place on Saturday morning, followed by he heats and semi-finals for the 200m events.
The prestigious 500m finals take place on Sunday morning, followed by the 200m finals.
Results will be available live on the regatta website at:
www.kajak.hr/eng/wc_2005.php
The last flatwater world championships, held at Lake Lanier in Gainesville in the USA in 2003, attracted paddlers from 65 countries.
Almost all of the athletes that won Olympic titles have entered the regatta, setting up a rematch of many of the classic encounters that entertained the Olympic Games’ global audience.
Multiple Olympic Medallist Birgit Fischer is back, anchoring the favourite German Women’s K4. Fischer holds the record for Olympic medals won by a female paddler in successive Olympiads.
Canadian Olympic Men’s K1 Medallist Adam van Koeverden will be on of the first athletes in action, in his 1000m heat shortly after 9am on Thursday.
The purpose built regatta course on the outskirts of Zagreb has not been affected by the flooding that has ravaged central Europe this week. The Sava river which passes just a few hundred metres from the course is still in spate and many low-lying region are under water after the torrential rains.
The racing begins on Thursday, with the 1000m and 500m heats, which will enter the semi-final stage on Friday. All the 1000m finals will take place on Saturday morning, followed by he heats and semi-finals for the 200m events.
The prestigious 500m finals take place on Sunday morning, followed by the 200m finals.
Results will be available live on the regatta website at:
www.kajak.hr/eng/wc_2005.php
For any further information please contact:
Dave Macleod
ICF Media Officer
dave@canoesa.org.za
+27 83 222 5443