Kayak River World Championships – Belgium take bronze in the men’s team sprint event
(Belga) The Belgian team won the bronze medal in the team sprint event at the World Kayaking River Descent Championships on Saturday in Treignac, in central France. Léo Montulet, Samuel Pype and Joren Bogaerts completed their course in 1:24.69, only beaten by the Czech Republic (1:21.36) and France (1:21.59).
Sixth in the 1st point and fifth in the 2nd, it was in the last part of the descent that the team coached by Maxime Richard overtook the Slovenian favourites, finally relegated to the foot of the podium. Among the ladies, Belgium represented by Clémence Hulpiau, Louisiane Levaque and Lauranne Sinnesael is ranked 7th and last, more than 15 seconds behind the French winners. Individually, Léo Montulet took 12th place and Laurane Sinnesael 14th, respectively in K1 for men and women, in the final of the sprint race of these downhill World Championships. Montulet, qualified for the final thanks to a 12th place at the end of the two qualifying series on Friday, kept the same order in the hierarchy on Saturday, completing his course in 1:19.82, 1.64 behind the Slovenian winner Nejc Znidarcic (1:18.18 ). Frenchman Maxence Barouh took 2nd place (1:18.21), Czech Vojtech Matejicek completing the podium (1:18.27). On the women’s side, the world title went to the French Manon Hostens, in 1:24.81, ahead of the Czech Klara Vankova (1:26.37) and the Italian Mathilde Rosa (1:26.54). Sinnesael, who finished 14th in qualifying, also kept her rank in the final, finishing 14th, in 1:30.24, 5:43 behind the new world champion. Sunday will be contested for the titles in classic distance. (Belgian)