EVENT REPORT
ICF Slalom World Championships, Oklahoma City, USA
©Marc Hunt
The final days of competition brought further surprises and standout performances as four world titles were decided at the Oklahoma City venue that will host canoe slalom competition during the LA28 Olympic Games.
©March Hunt
In the men’s C1, Spain’s Miquel Trave secured a historic victory. His gold medal was Spain’s first-ever men’s canoe world title and only the nation’s second senior world championship crown, following David Llorente’s kayak cross individual victory in 2025.
After narrowly missing the podium in fourth place last year, Trave delivered a superb run of 88.28 seconds to take gold. Great Britain’s Adam Burgess claimed silver, while Czechia’s Lukas Kratochvil earned bronze. Defending world and Olympic champion Nicolas Gestin of France finished sixth after incurring two gate touches.
« The final days of competition brought further surprises and standout performances. »
The women’s C1 final saw another breakthrough performance as Czechia’s Tereza Kneblova captured her first senior world title. The 23-year-old, already a World Cup winner this season, produced a clean and composed run to stop the clock at 100.52.
Andorra’s Monica Doria secured silver, while defending champion Klaudia Zwolinska of Poland took bronze. Australia’s Jessica Fox, who had already won three gold medals during the championships, did not qualify for the final.
©Marc Hunt
The championships concluded with the kayak cross competition, where Switzerland’s Alena Marx and Czechia’s Vit Prindis emerged victorious after a day of intense racing in the Oklahoma heat.
Marx successfully defended her status as one of the world’s best kayak cross athletes, adding the senior world title to the individual kayak cross crown she won last year. She pulled clear in the final ahead of Olympic champion Noemie Fox of Australia, while Spain’s Miren Lazkano claimed bronze.
The event had already produced one of the biggest surprises of the week when defending world champion Angele Hug of France was eliminated before the knockout rounds. Hug received a penalty and classification downgrade for an improper starting position in the preliminary phase, ending her hopes of defending the title.
« Marx earned silver to complete a remarkable day for the Swiss family. »
In the men’s kayak cross final, veteran Czech paddler Vit Prindis completed his collection of major titles with a memorable gold medal. The 37-year-old, who battled back from a serious neck injury that disrupted his 2025 season, overtook Switzerland’s Dimitri Marx in the second half of the race to secure victory.
Marx earned silver to complete a remarkable day for the Swiss family, while Great Britain’s Sam Leaver claimed bronze after an impressive championship campaign.
©Marc Hunt
