The women’s Russian youth team have their sights set on victory at the Youth and Masters World Championships at the Ceske Budejovice Whitewater course, commencing this Saturday.

All four paddlers herald from a canoe slalom background and began rafting together in 2008, going on to win various accolades in their home country including victories at the Champions of Moscow and all-Russia Championships, firmly establishing themselves as the strongest women’s youth raft in Russia.

In 2010, the girls youth team won bronze at the Youth World Championships in the Netherlands, but this year the Russian team lead by Captain Alena Travinka, are confident they can win gold. The 19 year old said: “We will take nothing but a win.”

Travinka believes their main rivals will come from the Brazilian, Czech and Italian squads, but feels their experience in slalom paddling could give them the edge.

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