Slalom Euros May 2009

Registered Company No 2612775

Roving reporter Adrian Ward provides the commentary and pictures from the riverside at HPP, Nottingham

With unbroken sunshine and temperatures that, by my reckoning (as someone who doesn't do hot), were well into the 40s on both days, "roasted nuts" took on a whole new meaning at the European Slalom Championships at Holme Pierrepont. And there were some truly nutty people there - to be fair most of them on huge white water in flimsy little slalom boats.

The new and improved Holme Pierrepont slalom course certainly created some challenging water for these world class racers, with the new flow rates being on the upper end of the internationally recognised Slalom Course Scale: 1. Torrent; 2. Deluge; 3. Here's that timber you ordered, Noah; (or 22 cumecs in old money).

After the fore-runners event, the first distraction from Saturday's inferno was the women's K1. Although Laura Blakeman and Louise Donington made it to the semis, only Lizzie Neave progressed to the final. Sadly, she was deemed to have "half-headed" one of the gates and picked up a 50, leaving her in 10th on the day. The winner, Elena Kaliska of Slovakia, went clear in 104.24.

Next up was the men's C2 with two British pairs making the final and it was nip and tuck right until the end. Unfortunately, the Olympic C1 silver medalist David Florence and his new partner Richard Hounslow hit a few too many gates and ended 9th. However, the other British pair, Tim Baillie and Stott Etienne were in the thick of it, with a storming run, clear in 104.37, which secured Bronze. The Gold went to a faultless performance from the Hockschorner brothers from Slovakia (there's a theme developing here...)

As the sun passed through its zentih, causing four spectators to spontaneously combust, there came the team events. Now if you've never seen team slalom, frankly, it doesn't get much sillier than this! Three boats negotiating the same course at the same time!, the finish time being when the last boat crosses the line.

Anyway, first was the C1 (because clearly, paddling a C1 as fast as possible down a slalom course is not challenging enough one boat at a time). Again, David Florence was in action, with team-mates Mark Proctor and Daniel Goddard. On the day though, despite a good 106.40, they were not quick enough to beat the Czech Republic team which blew the course apart with a clear run in 98.11.

So obviously, what we needed next was bigger boats and more people; enter the C2 teams! And for Britain, that man, David Florence was in action again with Richard Hounslow, plus Tim Baillie/Stott Etienne and Daniel Goddard/Colin Radmore. This time, just 0.95 seconds kept them from the Gold medal, which went the Czech Republic team. Good silver - if a bit crazy!

The last event was a chance to see the men's K1 paddlers in action in their team event, and they didn't disappoint. With a stupidly fast 94.62, the British trio of Campbell Walsh, Richard Hounslow and Huw Swetnam grabbed the Gold Medal, pushing Germany and France into Silver and Bronze respectively. A good end to the first day that was cheered enthusiastically by the toasted dehydrated husks formerly known as the spectators.

Sunday; and Halifax CC is out in force, although onlookers could be forgiven for thinking that we had spectacularly missed the Filey turning! But, now its 11.00 a.m., the fore-runners have run and the familiar mingled scent of sun-block with melting kayak accompanies the sound of cracking flags....

Just the C1 and K1 men today, and all to play for.

In the C1, expectations were high, with David Florence showing no signs of fatigue after a busy weekend, getting through to the final in 7th, just behind C1 legend Michal Martikan of Slovakia. In the final, David Florence stormed down in 98.02 but four other paddlers were on better form on the day and Martikan demonstrated why he's world number one, grabbing Gold in a clear run of 95.66. Alexander Slafkovsky made it a Slovakia one-two with and equally flawless 96.26 and giving cause for some much-needed celebratory dancing from the Slovakian supporters, who were clearly on a roll!

And so to the last event, the K1 men. Campbell Walsh and Huw Swetnam had made it through to the final (sadly Richard Hounslow picked up a not-quite-necked-the-gate 50 in the semis). But first to go was Julien Billaut of France who really put le chat amongst les pigeons with a clear run in 93.43!

Not to be out-done, and apparently without even using an out-board, Daniele Molmenti of Italy finished clear in 92.49 and went into the lead, to the obvious delight of the usually reserved Italian supporters. And there he stayed, with Boris Neveu of France coming close with 92.93 to get Silver, pushing Billaut into Bronze.

Campbell Walsh was also clear in 96.13 but this left him in 5th, losing his 2008 European title, whilst Huw Swetnam picked up four penalties to finish eighth with an impressive 100.21. Watching all this from the bank, it becomes clear just how fast these guys are travelling and how accurate they are, especially bearing in mind that they don't get practice runs and the gate placements and water did look quite tricky! (Note to self: must practice a bit more...).

And so ended the European Slalom Championships. British paddlers won 2 Golds, a Silver and a Bronze, putting them second in the medal table behind Slovakia, and everyone seemed as pleased as punch about how well the event went As for the crowd, the twenty seven people not hospitalised from heat stroke or second degree burns slowly steamed their way back to the car park and home to immerse themselves in baths full of ice cubes (or was that just me?).

Adrian Ward