Ricarda Funk missed out on a medal in the kayak single sculls at the Canoe Slalom World Championships. But the Olympic champion found clear words after the race and made a promise for Paris.
The Canoe Slalom World Championships were actually supposed to take place in the British Lee Valley Whitewater Center, around 30 kilometers north of London. will be the highlight of the season for the German team led by Olympic champion Ricarda Funk. Actually – because instead of being in a celebratory mood, the 31-year-old from KSV Bad Kreuznach is frustrated. Because Funk clearly missed the medal places in the kayak single sculls final on Saturday and had to settle for seventh place. Jessica Fox from Australia secured the title ahead of Slovakian Eliska Mintalova and Klaudia Zwolinska from Poland.
Too many errors
“I tried everything I could,” said Funk after the final, in which she struggled from the start with the 2012 Olympic course and finding the right line. The first mistake at gate six cost them two seconds after touching the goalpost. “I didn’t manage to maintain the speed. It was a back and forth up there,” she explained afterwards. “And then I received an additional two seconds penalty. That was already a board right at the start.”
Funk increased the risk, looked for balance, but lost around gate ten when her boat was pushed deep into the wave, further valuable seconds in the fight for the medal. “I took a risk,” she concluded. “I lost my paddle on the last wave.” The paddle almost slipped out of her hand, and for Funk the final sprint began with this shocking moment. “I had to pay for that by the fact that the last upward goal didn’t go well. Then I wasted a bit of time again.” That’s another reason why we ended up in seventh place – and the Olympic ticket.
Promise for Paris
However, not for the Olympic champion herself, but for her boat class K1. Funk has already secured the quota place for this with her entry into the finals and can recommend Paris for the national eliminations next year. And the German Canoe Association also has the two places in the canoe. Only the men in the kayak singles will not be there in Paris. “It’s a shame it didn’t work out for the boys,” said Funk.
National coach Klaus Pohlen also drew a bitter conclusion: “The result is not what we had imagined. None of the team was able to demonstrate their individual performance.” And he too may have imagined the season highlight differently. For Ricarda Funk and Co., the end of the season is coming up at the beginning of October – the Olympic champion wants to be there at the World Cup in Paris. “I’ll definitely be there,” she said and grinned. After all, the course will be the season highlight in the canoe slalom next year.
