A fresh afternoon on 30th June, in the Stade d’eau vive Michel Baudry, saw more than 50 teams paddling in the 400m whitewater venue for the RX qualification.
Based on the these times, the athletes will compete on Friday and Saturday in the knock out phase, that will crown the RX Champions with 120 points.
Italy 1, Women team
In the women category Italy 1, with Letizia Lauri, Elodie Lumignon, Gaia Mascarello and Carlotta Scalvino, crossed the finish line with the best category time of 1’00.61.
Second time, one second away from the the first team, to Italy 2 who stopped the clock at 1’01.82: Martina Bonomi, Christa Gruber, Francesca Leonardi and Miriam Waldboth. Third time for Chile that closed a provisional podium with just a 2 seconds difference from the first (provisional) step: Nicole Plagemann, Tabata Araya Soto, Costanza Molina and Camila Ortega Ilancafilo from Chile 1 with 1’02.62.
Italy 1, Men team
The first three men teams are in a gap of less than 50 cents: Italy 1 (56.19) with Pietro Fratton, Fabio Martini, Zeno Martini and Lorenzo Mastella, ahead of Italy 2 (56.46) with Michele Pattoglio, Dario Morandi, Francesco Regina and Giordi Sarteur and Croatia 1 (56.55) with Danko Herceg, Luka Obadic, Tomislav Hohnjec and Jadran Zonjic and Ivan Tolic.
France 1, Para Rafting team
Para Rafting category saw the France 1 team put down a great time of 1’00.22 after a clear run in the venue: the fastest Abel Aber, Latimier Latimier, Hugo Latimier and Benjamin Pillerault, were just one second ahead of Italy 1 (1’01.92) with Riccardo Novella, Marco Montagna, Carlo Benciolini and Nicola Speri. Third time for Italy 2 (1’05.17) with Massimo Giandinoto, Rosario Sperandini, Damiano Casazza and Rinaldo Veneroni.
Chile 1, Mix team
Mix teams closed the race day with an incredible time of 59.82 by Chile 1: Yarela Munoz, Camila Ortega Ilancafilo, Ivan Correa and Paz Letelier.
The hosts from France 1 followed with a very challenging gap: 1'00.20 for Cyril Audoit, Marion Delorme, Kevin Gix and Coralie Yebenes.
Just a tenth of a second later we have the third time of Netherland: 1’00.30 for Kiki Roeling, Jenita Gobel, Xandar Van Os, Roel Bakker and Mark de Wit.
Olympian and Peace and Sport Ambassador Marlène Harnois
The IOC member and AIOWF President Ivo Ferriani, the President of the International Federation Sport Climbing Marco Scolaris, the FFCK Rafting Director Bruno Carlier awarded the Downriver Champions at the award ceremony in the evening, in the presence of the WRF President Danilo Barmaz, the major of L’Argentière-la-Bessée Patrick Vigne and the Peace and Sport Ambassador Marlène Harnois.
