U23 & Junior Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross European Championships kick off today in Solkan, Slovenia.
This marks the sixth time Solkan has played host, matching Krakow for the most editions held.
Sam Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) will be back in action in MK1 after previously medalling at the Senior Euros. He also clinched U23 World Champion status in kayak cross individual time trials, an event which made its debut this year.
Alongside him is Jonah Hanrahan who made his mark in 2024, medalling in kayak cross. He also reached the U23 K1 semi-final during the 2025 World Championships in Foix.
Tom Mayer from Stafford & Stone Canoe Club will complete the trio, a team which came out on top during the U23 men’s kayak teams at the Worlds.
This year’s MC1 U23 team concludes with Phillip Smith (Winchester and District), returning team members Ed McDonald (Holme Pierrepont) and Luc Royle from Stafford & Stone.
Royle won gold in the C1 team event at the senior Euros in Paris.
The women’s U23 K1 features Macy Kang (Holme Pierrepont) who recently came in 17th in the kayak cross individual time trials. She will be joined by international debutant Joely Walling (Shepperton).
Katie Shattock (Taunton) will appear in both the K1 and C1, competing alongside Sadie Sterry (Llandysul) and Rachel Ellis from Lee Valley in C1.
The junior team will also see Zoe Blythe-Shields compete for her final year in both K1 and C1.
Alongside her in K1 will be Arina Kontchakov from Lee Valley and Sofia Alfer (Wyedean), who are both competing in their final year as juniors.
In the WC1 we will see Darcey McMullins (Lee Valley), and Jasmine Wilde (Frome).
Talu Aysen (Lee Valley) and Leo Miller (Stafford & Stone) will join team member Lewis Arden in today’s team events.
Gwion Williams of Llandysul will also be making a strong return and will be looking to improve on his K1 10th place from the 2024 Euros.
Dominic Thomas (Lee Valley) and Harry Kirby (Stafford & Stone) join Williams, a team which came in 20th at the World Champs. All three will also be competing in the kayak cross event at the weekend.
The team is then concluded with Kayak Cross starting with the individual time trial on Saturday 2 August, and the head to head racing on the 3rd.
Joely Walling will be joining the U23 WKX team with Katie Shattock and Macy Kang, with Olwen Yates (Stafford & Stone) joining Kontchakov and McMullins in the junior WKX Team.
McDonald switches from his C1 into MKX to join Leaver and Mayer.
You can watch all the action live on Canoe Europe‘s Youtube channel.
Follow along with the results here.
|
U23 Team |
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| WK1 | WC1 | WKX | MK1 | MC1 |
MKX |
| Macy Kang (Holme Pierrepont) | Sadie Sterry (Llandysul) | Katie Shattock (Taunton) | Jonah Hanrahan (Independent) | Luc Royle (Stafford & Stone) | Sam Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) |
| Katie Shattock (Taunton) | Rachel Ellis (Lee Valley) | Macy Kang (Holme Pierrepont) | Sam Leaver (Edinburgh Schools) | Phillip Smith (Winchester & District) | Tom Mayer (Stafford & Stone) |
| Joely Walling (Shepperton) | Katie Shattock (Taunton) | Joely Walling (Shepperton) | Tom Mayer (Stafford & Stone) | Ed McDonald (Holme Pierrepont) | Ed McDonald (Holme Pierrepont) |
|
Junior Team |
|||||
| WK1 | WC1 | WKX | MK1 | MC1 |
MKX |
| Zoe Blythe-Shields (Independent) | Zoe Blythe-Shields (Independent) | Arina Kontchakov (Lee Valley) | Gwion Williams (Llandysul) | Talu Aysen (Lee Valley) | Gwion Williams (Llandysul) |
| Arina Kontchakov (Lee Valley) | Darcey McMullins (Lee Valley) | Olwen Yates (Stafford & Stone) | Harry Kirby (Stafford & Stone) | Lewis Arden (Manvers) | Harry Kirby (Stafford & Stone) |
| Sofia Alfer (Wyedean) | Jasmine Wilde (Frome) | Darcey McMullins (Lee Valley) | Dominic Thomas (Shepperton) | Leo Miller (Stafford and Stone) | Dominic Thomas (Shepperton) |