Three-time Olympic champion Sebastian Brendel won his first title at the European Canoe Championships.
Together with his Canadian partner Tim Hecker, the 34-year-old won the 1000 m final on Friday with a lead of more than a second in front of the Italian boat of Nicolae Craciun and Daniele Santini. Bronze went to Balazs Adolf and Daniel Fejes from Hungary.
Brendel/Hecker repeated their triumph from the previous year in Poznan. At the World Championships in Halifax, Canada, almost two weeks ago, the duo also made it to the top of the podium.
At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the two had won bronze in the 1000 m, in Paris the Canadian duos only compete over half the distance.
It was already the 14th title win at a European Championship for Brendel from Potsdam. In Munich, the German canoe king starts together with Hecker over the mentioned 500 m and in the Canadian single over the 5000 m.