The Downriver race is awarded the most points because it is a test of endurance, speed and the team’ s ability to read white water and pick the best line down the river. A top position can propel you into a much higher Overall position and hopefully even onto the Overall podium. But, in the same vein, a bad Downriver can drop you quite a way down.
RUS 2 won the U19 Men Downriver, which propelled them up a position to 4th overall. With TUR 1 coming 2nd and RUS 1 coming 5th in the Downriver, TUR 1 finds themselves in 1st place Overall and being crowned the 2017 U19 Men Euro Champions!
In the U19 Women RUS 1 dominated in everything except the Slalom, and it was plenty enough for them to become the new 2017 U19 Women Euro Rafting Champions.
RUS 1 made it a clean sweep in the U23 Men and the U23 Women, winning all their disciplines with a 1000 points and claiming the title Euro Rafting Champions.
The final positions for U19 and U23 Overall were:
- U19 Men: TUR 1; RUS 1; RUS 2, TUR 2
- U19 Women: RUS 1, CZE, ITA, RUS 2, TUR
- U23 Men: RUS 1, CZE 2, CZE 1, TUR, SVK
- U23 Women: RUS 1, CZE, RUS 2
The afternoon saw the Masters and Open teams taking to the water for the Downriver, through the stunning Borjomi Valley.
The Czechs continued to dominate in the Masters Men, CZE 1 scooping up a full set of Gold and CZE 2 a full set of Silver. RUS 1 managed to scoop up the Overall Bronze. CZE 1 are the new Euro Rafting Champs Masters.
The Open Women saw RUS 1 winning Sprint, H2H and Downriver which ensured they won the Overall Gold and are the new Open Women Euro Rafting Champs. GBR 1’s win in the Slalom added to their 2nd in the other disciplines saw them secure the Silver with RUS 2 taking the Bronze.
In the Open Men it was once again dominated by a Russian team, this time RUS 2 who took Goldin 3 disciplines and so are the new Open Men Euro Rafting Champions.
The final top 3 positions for the Open and Masters were:
- Mater Men: CZE 1, CZE 2, RUS 1
- Open Women: RUS 1, GBR 1, RUS 2
- Open Men: RUS 2, CZE 1, RUS 1
Results:
Photos:
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