Canoeing News  

Walsh takes gold

Scotland's Campbell Walsh won his first major championship gold medal at the weekend when he took victory in the men's K1 at the European Slalom Canoe Championships in Krakow, Poland.

The Bridge of Allan athete, who won silver at the Athen's Olympic Games in 2004, got his Beijing preparations off to the perfect start with victory over some of his main rivals.

Walsh pushed hard on his first run in the final but lost some time at the sixth gate and finished in sixth place, 1.4 seconds behind leader Ivan Pisvejc of the Czech Republic.

But a strong second run, almost two seconds faster than his first, moved him up to first place ahead of Italy's Daniele Molmenti and Fabian Dorfler of Germany.

There was more success for Scots in the British team when Fiona Pennie (Crieff) finished third in the women's K1 team event with English paddlers Laura Blakeman and Louise Donington. 
 
Olympic qualifier Fiona Pennie also finished 11th overall in the K1 singles whilst Aberdeen born David Florence finished well outside the medal zone in the men's C1 discipline.
 
Sadly, it was to be no fairytale European Championships for Aberdeen's Tim Baillie and his partner Etienne Stott in the C2 discipline. 
 
Chasing gold to secure Team GB an additional Olympic qualification spot, the pair finished in a disappointing 16th place behind winners and Slovakian pair, Pavel and Peter Hochschorner.
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