The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Florence is single-minded about adding to Euro glory
Canoeing: Aberdonian bids for second gold but first in individual discipline
Aberdeen canoeist David Florence anticipates a highly competitive field as he gets his bid for European championship glory under way in Prague on Friday.
Florence is bidding for his second gold medal in the Euros and his first individual medal, having triumphed in Augsburg six years ago in the C2 team event.
The event is held at one of the 35-year-old’s favourite courses, the Prague-Troja Canoeing Centre, and Florence has already spoken of his hopes of making the podium in the individual discipline.
However, the competition is expected to be intense, with Slovakian Alexander Slafkovsky out for his third consecutive European triumph in the C1 slalom.
Florence said: “There’s a handful of guys that have been really strong over the last few years. Alexander has been on really good form and Benjamin Savsek (from Slovenia) medalled at the worlds. Germany and France are always really good too.
“I didn’t think I’d be doing it this long but I still really enjoy it. The standard, particularly in this country, has gone up hugely. It’s tight to get results in finals and abroad there’s less room for error. You’ve got to beat guys in the top 10 in the world.” Prague has never hosted the European championships but the worlds were held there in 2013, where Florence became a world champion in the C1 and C2 disciplines. He has also picked up medals at six world cup events held in the Czech capital.
Florence added: “They’ve made it into a really nice venue. It’s basically an old logging channel down the side of a dam. It’s one of the best canoe slalom courses around. You get a bit more of a rowdy crowd – more of a drinking and betting crowd.
“Chances are if you’re in the crowd you’re sat close to someone who has done the sport or knows someone competing – someone who knows the sport and knows who’s on form.”
The European Canoe Slalom championships run from June 1 to 3 in the Czech capital.
“There’s less room for error. You have to beat world’s top 10”