Sam Leaver was over-the-moon to be crowned the inaugural U23 men’s kayak cross time trial world champion on the penultimate day of competition in Foix.
Leaver put together a storming run of 50.62 seconds on a day that also saw Arina Kontchakov clinch silver in the women’s junior time trial.
Leaver was the last to go on the water, with the single run determining the individual medallists in the time trial, as well as confirming qualification for the head-to-head kayak cross event, which takes place on the final day of competition.
And in the first year that the time trial has been a separate medal event, Lever laid down an incredible run to take the title.
Matyas Novak and Jakub Krejci of Czechia took silver and bronze respectively.
“It’s the first year the time trial has been in and I won it so I’m pretty happy,” Leaver said.
“I assumed the Czechs would be fast as they are some of the same people that competed in Pau in the senior races, so I just knew I had to send it.
“It was going to be an absolute sprint so I’m really happy it worked out.”
Lever has now added U23 time trial world gold to the silver he won at the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Pau in June.
And with the head-to-head racing still to come, he noted his pride in a speedy final stage of the race to set him up perfectly for tomorrow.
“I feel like the bottom section was pretty rapid, I think I won it on the second up,” he added.
“The exit and sprint to the finish was perfect for me.
“It’s set me up perfectly for the head-to-head, I’m really happy with that result.”
Thomas Mayer progressed to the knock-out format with a time trial run of 52.93s, whilst Edward McDonald picked up a fault to finish in 58.19s and will miss out on tomorrow’s racing.
Junior racer Kontchakov cracked her time trial curse as she soared to silver in a time of 57.97s.
Kontchakov had never previously medalled in the event but a brilliant performance in France saw her cross the line for second, 0.28s behind winner Anna Simona of Spain.
And the moment was made even better by her coach being the one to break the news.
“It feels really good but I was surprised,” she said.
“When you come down to the bottom you can see on the clock if you’re quicker than first place but it didn’t say anything for me so I assumed it was glitching.
“So when I heard my coach shouting I was shocked. Time trials are always really tight, so I’m so happy.”
Britain saw more success in the junior women’s time trial, with Olwen Yates clinching seventh place in 58.83s and Darcey McMullins 31st in a time of 64.33s.
All three athletes will progress to tomorrow’s head-to-head racing.
Kontchakov added: “It’s a new format now racing the head-to-heads a day after the time trials so it gives us a lot of time to chat to our coaches and think of the best options.”
In the U23 women’s time trial, Lois Leaver lead the British contingent with a seventh place finish in a time of 56.75s.
Macy Kang will also progress after a 17th place finish in 58.49s and Katie Shattock finished in a time of 62.65s.
Leaver has seen a strong start to the 2025 season, winning three World Cup bronze medals back to back across slalom and kayak cross and admitted that a rough start on the water will help with crucial learnings ahead of tomorrow.
“It was alright, I just messed the first up a bit and with it being such a straight line course, little things mean a lot,” she said.
“I just need to rest ahead of the head-to-heads tomorrow and take it easy for then.”
In the junior men’s time trial, Harry Kirby clinched a career best result by finishing sixth in a time of 53.11s.
Teammates Gwion Williams and Dominic Thomas were close behind, with Williams completing his run in a time of 53.41s to finish 11th and Thomas taking 24th place in 55.09s, with all three back in action tomorrow.
Kirby said: “It feels amazing, this is my best result ever so to do it at the World Championships means the world to me.”
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