LA SEU D’URGELL, SPAIN – Ben Hayward of Edmonton, AB threw down arguably his best international performance of all times on Saturday in the semi-final at the fourth ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in La Seu D’Urgell, Spain. Hayward’s posted the fourth fastest time in the semi-final of Men’s K1 and was clean of penalties for touching a gate.
In the final Hayward was disqualified as it was ruled he did not have both hands on his paddle when he crossed the line. His time in the final would have put him in ninth place but instead he dropped to tenth. A repeat performance from his semi-final would have landed him fourth place in the final. Hayward’s performance from the weekend, and the two World Cup finals he made last year, proves his ability to be a contender among the top slalom athletes in the World.
Cameron Smedley of Dunrobin, ON posted his best World Cup result of the year after placing twenty-first in the semi-finals of the Men’s C1.
Jessica Groeneveld of Innisfail, AB also posted her top World Cup result over the weekend with a twenty-seventh place finish in the Women’s K1 semi-final on Sunday. This is the second time Groeneveld has made the World Cup semi-finals this year and with this result she steps up one place from her previous best result of twenty-eighth overall at World Cup 2.
The fifth and final World Cup of the season will take place this coming weekend in Pau, France. World Championships in London will wrap up the season from September 16 to 20.
Summary of Results
| Athlete | Event | Result |
| Ben Hayward (Edmonton, AB) | Men’s K1 | 10th overall |
| Cameron Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) | Men’s C1 | 21st overall |
| Jessica Groeneveld (Innisfail, AB) | Women’s K1 | 27th overall |
| Friday Results | ||
| David Ford (Edmonton, AB) | Men’s K1 | 45th in heats |
| Lois Betteridge (Ottawa, ON) | Women’s C1 | 23rd in heats |
| Alexandra McGee (Ottawa, ON) | Women’s C1 | 27th in heats |
| Florence Maheu (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC) | Women’s K1 | 34th in heats |
| Ben Hayward (Edmonton, AB), Cameron Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) | Men’s C2 | 25th in heats |
| Michael Tayler (Ottawa, ON) | Men’s K1 | 77th in heats |
CanoeKayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada. The organization’s vision is to be a Canadian sport for families, communities and champions. From supporting clubs to developing a competitive National Team, CanoeKayak Canada works to grow a sport which is a rich part of Canada’s heritage.
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For more information:
Ian Miller
Communications and Marketing Officer, CanoeKayak Canada
613.314.1352
imiller@canoekayak.ca