Since mid-June, an increased influx of athletes from Latvia, Estonia and Sweden has been observed on the Valmiera rowing slalom track, as the first two stages of the Nordic Cup took place. The rowers enjoyed the effects of the rains – the rapidly rising water level in the Gauja, which revealed a variety of elements of the slalom track in their best performance.
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During the training, the athletes enjoyed and perfected the various technical elements that could be used over the weekend in the newly introduced SPRINTA rowing slalom discipline, which was an attractive introduction to the 1st and 2nd stages of the Nordic Cup. Despite the fact that the high water level and the difficult elements of the track scared some good rowing enthusiasts, a large number of participants entered the competition to fight in the first stages of the “Nordic Cup 2022” in Valmiera. The next stages will take place from 25 to 26 June in Estonia; from 24 to 25 September in Sweden – two competitions in each country.
Aivars Kaulakalns (27.74 sec.), A representative of the men’s kayak class (MK1), showed the fastest time in the dynamic and exciting fight in the “Nordic Cup” sprint discipline. Alva Persson from Sweden was the fastest in the women’s single kayak (WK1) competition (32.91 sec.), While Krišs Ozols from Valmiera (30.31 sec.) Was the fastest in the men’s single canoe (MC1) class. All three winners made their best sprint races without penalty points.
The track also held competitions in the SUP (Stand Up Paddle Boarding) and WW (high-speed plastic kayak) classes, which is planned to be a popular sports class in the future, where anyone who loves to spend time on the water can start. The continuous rise of the water level in the Gauja every day of the competition provided the athletes with different conditions on the track, forcing them to adapt to the peculiarities of the fast water in order to fight for the victories in the 1st and 2nd stages of the Nordic Cup.
Elvis Filipovs, a representative of the men’s single-seater kayak (MK1), showed the fastest time on the track the next day. On Sunday, Ritvars Celmiņš from Valmiera region, who left Aivars Kaulakalns, confirmed his mastery and hitherto high physical and technical fitness. The winner of the previous day, Elvis, had to settle for only the third step of the pedestal.
In the men’s canoe competition (MC1), Krišs Ozols from Valmiera proved to be the fastest in both days, leaving behind the Estonian athlete Siim Petris, as well as Arno Berman and Matīss Sila from Valmiera region. In the class of women’s canoeists (WC1), the fiercest competition took place between Luiza Macijauskas from Liepaja and Alva Persson, a Swedish slalom player. The two ladies won the 1st and 2nd rounds of the Nordic Cup respectively, exchanging places on the top of the podium. Alva Persson from Sweden confirmed her winner of last year’s “Nordic Cup” overall in the women’s single kayak competition, leaving no chance for the other competitors to win. It should be mentioned that the new and talented rower of SK Atvars and the Latvian Canoe Association Elizabete Kurvina unexpectedly became the owner of the silver medal in the second stage of the Nordic Cup.
Already this weekend, the athletes will go to the nearby Estonian city of Sindi, which is on the outskirts of Pärnu, where they will continue to compete for places in the 3rd and 4th stages of the Nordic Cup 2022.
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