ECA Canoe Sprint, Paracanoe, and SUP European Championships start today in Szeged
The 2024 ECA Canoe Sprint, Paracanoe, and SUP European Championships start today in Szeged with athletes from 38 countries taking part in the championships held from June 12 to 16. In sprint and paracanoe disciplines this is the last international competition before the Paris Olympics.
At the press conference held at the Szeged Olympic Regatta Center at Maty-ér, on Tuesday, June 11, Bálint Szakács, managing director of the Hungarian Canoe Federation, expressed how exciting it is for Hungary to again host the European Championships after 22 years. He also highlighted that this will be the first international event where the best paddlers of three disciplines take to the water at the same time.
Szakács also explained that environmental awareness was an important part of the 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup and Paracanoe World Championships, held a month earlier at the Maty-ér Regatta Center, and the organizers wish to use the experience gained at the European Championships too.
"... we started working with the Zöldövezet Társulás this year, to reduce the negative impact of our events on the environment. At the World Cup, 32 cubic meters of selective waste were collected, which I think is an extraordinary improvement compared to previous years."
"We also involved the Civilút Alapítvány in the European Championship, through whom we provide access to the event for disadvantaged families and children," added the managing director.
"It's a great feeling to lead a home team at a home European Championship," said Hungarian national team captain Csaba Hüttner, adding that he could hardly have imagined a stronger national team than the currently assembled Olympic team.
Hungarian para kayak-canoe federation captain Botond Hajdu said about European champions Katalin Varga and Róbert Suba, two competitors from Szeged, that he thinks they are starting in this championship with similar chances as in the previous one, as they are in very good form and on an excellent path.
"Since international SUP competitions usually have prize money, we were afraid of how the entries would turn out, but the number of participating athletes has already exceeded two hundred," explained Dávid Tóth, head coach of the Hungarian SUP national team. Anyone could preliminarily enter the SUP championship, but the national team, led by Dávid Tóth, will be represented by seven competitors.
Tickets for, as well as further info about the 2024 ECA Canoe Sprint, Paracanoe, and SUP European Championships, are available on the event's website.
Photos: Szilvia Molnar / Szegedify
