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2023 Freestyle World Championships

Published on octobre 13th, 2023 | by Kayak Session https://www.kayaksession.com/img-current-issue/upload-your-video.png

Inside the 2023 Freestyle Worlds | Day 5 | C1 & Juniors

By: Kathy Holcombe / Photography: Peter Holcombe

Athletes awoke to messages from the event organizers that there was a one hour delay for the start times due to heavy rain overnight.  The rain was a welcome relief to the severe drought conditions experienced in the southeast this summer, and bumped up the water levels to a more optimal competition level later in the day.

Spectators filled the stands despite the rainy weather. ©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com

The junior women kicked off the day with their preliminary round.  The field was slashed in half, from twenty down to ten athletes.  Sophie Gilfillan (CAN) took the lead on her first ride, and maintained it throughout the competition leaving her comfortably in first place going into semifinals tomorrow.  Local paddler Makinley Kate Hargrove (USA) is sitting comfortably in second.  There was a close race for the remaining top five spots between Chloe Spears (USA), Niamh Macken (GBR) and Eleanor Knight (USA) with only a two point spread between the three competitors.  It will be a tight competition to see who makes the cut to the final round tomorrow morning.

Junior woman Chloe Spears (USA) is one to watch going into the semifinal rounds.
©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com
Sophie Gilfillan (CAN) takes a commanding lead in the Junior Woman’s preliminary round. ©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com

The junior men were up next in a heated preliminary round that cut the ranks from 26 athletes down to the top ten.  There was a heated battle between reigning junior World Champion, Tim Rees (GER), and British paddler Jools Gardner, with Gardner taking the top position leading into the final round.  Tomorrow, both junior men and women will compete in a semi-final round in the morning that will determine which five paddlers will move on to compete in the final rounds tomorrow afternoon.

Junior man Oriole Roig Duenas (ESP) putting on a show for the crowds during an exciting preliminary round. ©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com
Jools Gardner (GBR) took the lead in the junior men’s preliminary rounds. ©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com

C1 Women took to the wave in an exciting finals competition with reigning World Champion Ottilie Robinson-Shaw (GBR) taking the win and retaining her title, followed by Zosia Tula (POL), and Tamsyn McConchie (GBR) bronze.

The Women’s C1 podium:  Zofia Tula (POL) silver, Ottilie Robinson Shaw (GBR) gold, Tamsyn McConchie (GBR) bronze. ©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com

The crowd was ablaze with excitement throughout all of today’s competition, but the energy level cranked up to a frenzy during the Final Round of the C1 Men’s competition.  Former C1 World Champion, Dane Jackson (USA), set the bar high on his first ride with a whopping 658.33 points.  Reigning World Champion, Landon Miller (USA) came back in his second ride with a higher score of 803.33, which Jackson beat once again with 850 points in his second ride. Teammate Seth Chapelle (USA), in his final ride, threw a flurry of high scoring points and took the win with an 858 point ride with Jackson in 2nd and Miller in 3rd.  Chapelle has been representing the USA at World Championships for 20 years, and while he has podiumed several times, this was his first World Champion title.

Seth Chapelle (USA) earning his first well deserved title of World Champion after 20 years of representing the USA at International events. ©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com
Dane Jackson (USA) leap frogging scores with the other C1 men in an exciting finals event.
The Men’s C1 podium was another sweep for Team USA:  Dane Jackson (USA) silver, Seth Chapelle (USA) gold, Landon Miller (USA) bronze ©Peter Holcombe/kayaksession.com

Men’s C1 Final

1 Seth CHAPELLE USA 858.33
2 Dane JACKSON USA 850.00
3 Landon MILLER USA 803.33
4 Jordan POFFENBERGER USA 338.33
5 Subaru FUKUSHI JAP 28.33

Women’s C1 Final

1 Ottilie ROBINSON-SHAW GBR 175.00
2 Zofia TULA POL 78.33
3 Tamsyn MCCONCHIE GBR 65.00
4 Sophie GILFILLAN CAN 21.67
5 Jak FANTASTIC GBR 5.00

Women’s K1 Junior Heat 1/2

1 Leah HOUGH IRL 198.33
2 Martina FAURAT FONT ESP 135.00
3 Taru TERNI FIN 45.00
4 Anne PANTSAR FIN 30.00
5 Jasmin STANGL-BRACHNIK AUT 23.33
6 Aisa LOPEZ-ARENAS ESP 23.33
7 Soizic DEMALINE FRA 21.67
8 Emma VILADOMAT ESP 21.67
9 Sasha SACHS CAN 20.00
10 Esta FULLMANN GER 1.67

Women’s K1 Junior Heat 2/2

1 Sophie GILFILLAN CAN 298.34
2 Makinley Kate HARGROVE USA 205.00
3 Chloe SPEARS USA 126.67
4 Niamh MACKEN GBR 126.67
5 Eleanor KNIGHT USA 125.00
6 Sienna EDWARDS GBR 65.00
7 Holly OGILVIE IRL 30.00
8 Isabella WORMALL GBR 20.00
9 Sonja Regina HACKER GER 10.00
10 Jessica STIBBE CAN 0

Men’s K1 Junior Heat 1/3

1 Tim REES GER 1126.66
2 Timmy HILL GBR 646.67
3 Justin MACARTHUR CAN 298.34
4 Philippe LANIEL CAN 293.33
5 Oriol ROIG DUENAS ESP 148.33
6 Rory KEARNEY IRL 98.33
7 Gabriel RODRIGUEZ AUS 56.67
8 Isaac SANDERSON NZL 46.67

Men’s K1 Junior Heat 2/3

1 Jools GARDNER GBR 1436.67
2 Nil GARCIA PARRA ESP 836.67
3 Urko COT ERGUIN ESP 498.34
4 Joshua MENDES CAN 391.67
5 Noam CHAMPAGNAC MAGNOL FRA 313.33
6 Dan CLOHESSY IRL 220.00
7 Leon SCHACHER GER 165.00
8 Leon SCHACHER GBR 123.33
9 Justin NIERMEIER GER 101.67

Men’s K1 Junior Heat 3/3

1 Walker EDENS USA 640.00
2 Onni ERONEN FIN 638.33
3 Magnus MONSON USA 420.00
4 Matteo WILLIAMS NZL 351.67
5 Gael BEAL FRA 256.67
6 Mads BARWICH GER 168.33
7 Daniel SMITH USA 135.00
8 Remi TEILLERIE FRA 105.00
9 Cody FAGAN IRL 50.00

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