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Slalom Euros Cancelled! 
After a training camp, a week preparation prior to the race, two days of qualifying and a huge amount of speculation and uncertainty in Bratislava the 2010 European Canoe Slalom Championships was officially cancelled!
There is a tremendous amount of water in the Danube river leaving the slalom channel half under water as you can see in the photo of the finish line above. It was a huge logistical problem, trying to control water levels between at least three countries. A chain of circumstances with dams and water releases finally proved too difficult to run the race.
Qualification did run although on a slightly shortened course, finishing above the last show piece, four meter drop that was now less than a meter high and rising. Although the results are now obsolete. For interest sake, Huw Swetnam in K1M, Lizzie Neave in K1W, Greg Pitt in C1M and Tim and Etienne in C2M had secured a top twenty spot and qualified on the Thursday and Friday respectively. Unfortunately in extremely windy hard conditions Fiona missed a gate on each run.
There is a feeling of disappointment across the team. However it’s a case of accepting what we can’t control. The fate of the 2010 European Championships is still in the balance with a chance they will still run the race later in the year, if they can find a solution to the financial situation cancelling the event has put them in. Fingers are also crossed for a sports friendly political party being successful in the upcoming Slovak elections!
There is still plenty for the Slalom Team to look forward to. The next task is the three race World Cup series starting in just over a week’s time in Prague. There is a lot of water in Prague as well at the moment but we are reassured by the Czechs that the water level will drop and the race will go ahead with no problems. Lets hope so.
Words by Huw Swetnam, Photo by Tim.
2010 European Champs Official Race Website
(Posted on the 10th Jun 2010 by timb) |
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