Published on June 9th, 2023 | by Kayak Session
Day 1 | Level Six King Of The Alps | Extreme Kayaking World Championships 2023
The Extreme Kayak World Championships kicked off on June 2nd at King Of The Alps 2023, held in the picturesque village of Moss situated in the Passeier Valley, South Tyrol, Italy. An event that attracts some of the top whitewater athletes from not only Europe but across the globe, this year saw paddlers from New Zealand, Chile, Colombia, USA, GBR, and many more.
By Josh Dias-Smith
The action began on Friday with Qualifications taking place in St. Leonhard, a charming village just 10 minutes away from Moos. The format this year involved athletes completing two runs, with their times added together to determine their final qualification time. For the Juniors, OC1, and Packrafts, these accumulated times would determine the winners of gold, silver, and bronze, as they would not be racing on the Finals course in Moos.
In the afternoon, qualified athletes took to the Finals Course in Moos for their final practice laps. However, even those who didn’t make it to the finals had the chance to compete for prizes in the HF Loser Triathlon held on Friday evening. This unique tournament showcased pure skill and maybe some luck for the final round…
The Triathlon commenced with a Plank-Off, where athletes engaged in a fierce battle of endurance, holding a plank position, the final remaining 20 would go through to the next round, with the rounds lasting up to 8 minutes!! I can personally tell you this from experience this was a slightly brutal.
Next came the skilful challenge of Throwbagging, an Exo Zion Slalom hanging from the ceiling in front of athletes, the first 10 to successfully launch a throwbag to hit the area inside the cockpit would go through!
The Ultimate Showdown was the infamous SkateYak (helmet recommended) – a Spade Blackjack with a skateboard type contraption strapped underneath the boat and a simple stick to act as a paddle, athletes would attempt to lay down the quickest run down a hill to be in for a chance to win the top prize! Best make sure you stand clear during this round…
With the conclusion of the Triathlon, it was time for the losers to unwind and enjoy themselves,, the vibe definitely felt as though most participants were saving themselves for the main party the next night though and rightfully so.
Huge Credit To Sponsors; Level Six, Spade Kayaks, Kober Paddles, Exo Kayaks, Paddle People, Südtirol, Passeiertal, Forst Brewery, Municipality of Moos
Check out the Results on the Kayak Session Website Here
To check out more head to the King Of The Alps Website Here
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