BOUZAN BUILDS ON WINNING RUN WITH VICTORY AT EUROCHALLENGE

Walter Bouzan has started his 2022 racing season the same way he finished 2021 – by winning.

The Eurochallenge didn’t present the downwind conditions that some of those victories arrived in.

A flat, glassy 18 kilometre course prescribed the kind of pack-racing and wash-riding normally seen in a marathon kayak race.

But that couldn’t stop the 44 year-old breaking clear of a competitive field to cross the line in a time of 1:10:52.

That was more than a minute ahead of Javier Lopez Gonzalez (1:11:56) and Victor Javier Ridriguez (1:12:00) in an all-Spanish top three.

Esteban Medina Ojeda (1:12:22) was fourth while two-time World Champion Sean Rice (1:12:32) was fifth in his return to racing, beginning his campaign towards October’s ICF Titles.

German pair Claas Gebhardt (1:13:08) and Franz Polchow (1:14:59) topped the Under 23 division, with Jorge Enriquez Gutierrez (1:16:41) in third.

Enrique Garcia Torres (1:20:25) topped the Under 18’s, ahead of Roudaut Mathis (1:20:31) and Kael Menez (1:21:05).

Like Bouzan, Chloe Bunnett built on her impressive results across the 2021 season.

Bunnett (1:22:32) outlasted European Champion Judit Verges Xifra (1:23:39) to kick off her year in style, while Amaia Osaba Olaberri (1:24:47) was third.

Irene Gana Fernandez (1:26:21) won the Under 23 division with Sara Mengual Francisco (1:28:54) and Paula Ruiz Arruti (1:31:13) rounding out the podium.

Rosie Edwards (1:26:18) took out the Under 18’s, ahead of Lara Cellier Henriquez (1:26:29) and Violeta Vilaplana Belda (1:35:25).

To view the full results of the 2022 Eurochallenge, click here.