Adam Burgess claimed a first C1 World Cup silver in six years as he started his 2025 campaign in style.
The Stafford & Stone paddler went into the final in La Seu d’Urgell as the fastest qualifier and produced a penalty-free run to earn silver behind Luka Bozic.
Burgess was the only Brit to advance out of the heats on Day 2 of the opening World Cup, with Kimberley Woods earning a top 15 placing in the women’s C1 heats.
Olympic silver medallist Burgess was the last to go in the final and knew a faultless run of 87.61 would take top spot from Bozic of Slovenia.
Burgess was able to deliver a clean run, but it was not enough to claim gold, however, he was able to beat out Olympic champion Nicolas Gestin, who won bronze.
“I don’t miss many finals, and all of the preparation I have been doing has been about progressing from run one to run two and delivering more in finals,” he said.
“It has been a little while since I have made a World Cup podium, I think my last one was 2022 in Krakow, and I don’t know how many finals I have made since then, but it is at least 10 and probably closer to 20.
“I’m always there or thereabouts, and we have done a lot of work to try and bring out those runs in the final, and I guess today, my worst run was the final, but that heat was something pretty special.
“It was great to come close to it again there.”
In the heats, Burgess delivered a stunning run to move top of the standings despite picking up a penalty.
Ryan Westley delivered a lightning-fast second section, but two touches late on saw him post a time of 95.16 to finish 2.24 seconds off the qualifying spots.
Luc Royle picked up six penalties across his run to post a time of 103.98 and finished in 50th place.
Burgess reflected on how he prepared for his final, saying: “I love racing in La Seu d’Urgell, it is one of my favourite venues to visit, it is always one of my favourite weeks of the year to come here and walk through the town to training.
“I had time there between the heats and the final to walk back to the hotel, have a cold shower, shutters down, lay on my spiky mat. It is always a relaxed atmosphere, you warm up looking at the mountains, it is perfect.
“I am really happy that it feels like my runs today reflected how I felt in training, which you don’t always get in canoe slalom.”
Kimberley Woods was the highest placed Brit in the women’s canoe heats as she finished 14th and just outside of the qualification places for the final.
Woods delivered a clean run and was one of the fastest down the first section, but her final time of 106.29 was just 0.39 seconds behind the last qualifying place.
Ellis Miller finished in 25th place in a time of 111.85 with a penalty on the final gate the only blemish in her run.
Bethan Forrow was seven places further back with a time of 119.65 after a tricky first section.
The full results and schedule can be found here.
Racing concludes tomorrow with Kayak Cross heats.
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