CANOE-KAYAK: World Champion Anton masters difficult Slalom World Cup course in Bratislava

Germany's World Slalom Champion Franz Anton (Photo: ICF)

On a weekend when the already-difficult course in Bratislava (SVK) was tweaked to be even a little more challenging, the only star to master the conditions was reigning C-1 World Champion Franz Anton of Germany.

While almost of the other stars were struggling, Anton sailed through the C-1 course in 96.02 seconds with no penalties, to win by 0.30 over home favorite (and Rio 2016 silver winner) Matej Benus (SVK).

“I was expecting a winning time of maybe 93 or 94,” said Anton, reflecting on the tough course. “I now have a good feeling for the next World Cup, and I am looking forward to my next race at home in Leipzig.”

Austria’s Corinna Kuhnle, now 31, showed that just because she won world titles in 2010 and 2011, she shouldn’t be counted out now. She won the women’s K-1 by almost a second over New Zealand’s Luuka Jones, 99.71-100.65.

“I’ve been struggling a bit with the last two races, so I feel like I’m getting back to my race performance,” Kuhnle said. “I think just for my self-confidence this is going to give me a good push in preparation for the world championships.”

The men’s K-1 was won by home favorite Andrej Malek, who his first-ever World Cup medal and France’s Claire Jacquet won her first World Cup medal since 2012 (!) by taking the women’s C-1.

The U.S. had some encouraging results with two finalists. Casey Eichfeld finished fourth in the men’s C-1 and 15-year-old Evy Leibfarth impressed in her first World Cup with a seventh-place finish in the women’s K-1. Summaries:

ICF Slalom World Cup II
Bratislava (SVK) ~ 21-23 June 2019
(Full results here)

Men/C-1: 1. Franz Anton (GER), 96.02 (0 penalties); 2. Matej Benus (SVK), 96.32 (0); 3. Luka Bozic (SLO), 97.32 (0); 4. Casey Eichfeld (USA), 100.48 (0); 5. Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK), 101.34 (2).

Men/K-1: 1. Andrej Malek (SVK), 88.54 (0); 2. Michal Pasiut (POL), 88.66 (0); 3. Boris Neveu (FRA), 90.13 (0); 4. Jiri Prskavec (CZE), 91.50 (2); 5. Martin Halcin (SVK), 91.78 (2).

Women/C-1: 1. Claire Jacquet (FRA), 112.15 (4); 2. Monica Doria Vilarrubla (AND), 112.32 (6); 3. Ana Satila (BRA), 113.80 (4); 4. Viktoria Wolffhardt (AUT), 116.94 (0); 5. Andrea Herzog (GER), 122.20 (6). Also: 7. Evy Leibfarth, 129.33 (0).

Women/K-1: 1. Corinna Kuhnle (AUT), 99.71 (2); 2. Luuka Jones (NZL), 100.65 (0); 3. Ricarda Funk (GER), 102.05 (2); 4. Marie-Zelia Lafont (FRA), 102.19; 5. Maialen Chourraut (ESP), 102.44 (0).