Oklahoma City canoe slalom worlds: Slovene setbacks and Czech gold

The 2026 World Canoe Slalom Championships took place on artificial white‑water courses in Oklahoma City, United States. Slovenia’s two‑time Olympic champion Benjamin Savšek qualified for the C1 final in 12th place but incurred 52 penalty seconds in his run, finishing last among the finalists. He said the course was unforgiving, noting that “every small mistake cost valuable time.” Other Slovenian paddlers – Luka Božič, Eva Alina Hočevar and teammates – failed to reach the semifinals or finished outside the top ranks, marking a disappointing campaign for the team.

In contrast, Czech athlete Tereza Kneblová captured the women’s C1 gold, winning by 2.52 seconds ahead of Andorra’s Monica Doria. Kneblová expressed surprise at her performance, saying, “My brain isn’t working right now, I’m so grateful for this fairy‑tale victory.” Twenty‑one‑year‑old Lukáš Kratochvíl earned the men’s C1 bronze, finishing behind Spain’s Miquel Trave (gold) and Britain’s Adam Burgess (silver). The Czech team also secured a silver in the women’s kayak relay.

The championships highlighted the challenges of the Oklahoma City course while delivering a historic first senior world title for Kneblová and a medal breakthrough for Kratochvíl.