France dominated the final day of action at the Slalom WorldChampionships 2025 as the Kayak Cross delivered high impact competition andplenty of surprises which was a fitting finale to the week of events.

Angele Hug (FRA) stormed to gold ahead of teammate CamillePrigent (FRA), while Klaudia Zwolinska (POL), already a double gold medalist incanoe (C1) and kayak (K1) at this event, added bronze to her remarkable haul.

What the athletes said: 

‍Angèle HUG (FRA) - gold

"It’s super cool to be with Camille, two French girls on the podium. I think it's never been seen before at the World Championships. We were both disappointed with our slalom, but we had it in us, and we brought it out today. Before the race, I stayed focused, but I was still thinking about Camille. And honestly, at the finish line — if you watch the race — I don’t even celebrate at first. I’m looking to see where Camille is on the results board. When I saw that we were first and second, I thought, ‘This can't be real!’ Even now, I still can't believe it."

"Over the next few days, I'm staying in Australia. I'm going to go surfing at Manly Beach because surfing is my second passion. I’m going to try to improve my surfing, and I will head back to France in five days."

Camille PRIGENT (FRA) - silver

"This morning, I was still crying from the disappointment of yesterday’s final. My goal today was to take it step by step and try to go as far as possible. Little by little, as I saw that both Angèle and I were moving forward, I thought: ‘A little one-two finish would be cool.’ And really, before the final, I was telling myself that we couldn’t let the Polish athlete win a third gold medal. That’s actually what I said to Angèle before the final."

"Honestly, since it’s Angèle who won, it feels like I won too. Actually, I think I might have tried the end of the run differently if it had been someone from another country in front of me. I told myself I didn’t want to risk taking both of us out. Two French women in first and second — it doesn’t get better than that."

"In the next few days, I’m heading to Polynesia on vacation with my best girlfriends, and I’ll finish with the Hawaiki Nui — it’s a va’a race, a race on the ocean. It’s going to be so cool, I can't wait!"

Klaudia Zwolinska (POL) – bronze

On a bronze medal after two gold medals at these championships:

"It’s unbelievable. Like, I don't really know what to say, because three medals at the World Championships – it’s just crazy. Winning two golds and then getting bronze today, I don’t know what to say.

"Cross is a completely different sport, you know, like you need to be brutal, aggressive but on slalom be really calm, so for me, it's completely different and I did it again with the bronze today. It's really crazy, but now I'm super tired.

On pre-race nerves and getting some sleep:‍

I did get some sleep but not much, not much. I was sleeping like a few hours, but I was really, like, my heart rate was all the time high because I was like under these emotions all the time, after the two gold medals. So, yeah, the sleep was enough to have a bronze!

On winning three medals at the championships:‍

"I don't even feel that it's real. I'm still shocked. So I don't know how to react. Yes, I'm super happy."

On taking a break before the next season:

"Yes, for sure I will have a lot of responsibilities in Poland. I have a project with the school kids. This is what I want to focus on now. So it's good because I will have a break from the paddling and I will do something else, which is really nice for me. And then in the middle of November, I will be back for the preparation for the next season and next World Championship.

On loving Australia after such success:

Yes, it’s confirmed. I love this place.

EVENT RECAP

Semifinal

42-year-old veteran Maialen Chourraut (ESP) powered through a stacked first semi final in the women's kayak cross event, moving through to the final alongside Klaudia Zwolinska (POL), who will be looking to pick up her third gold medal of the world championships. 

It didn't get any easier in the second semi, where the French team dominated, seeing 25-year-old Angele Hug (FRA) taking the win ahead of teammate Camille Prigent (FRA) for a double-headed French attack in the final.

Quarterfinals

Long-term competitors Maialen Chourraut (ESP) and Ricarda Funk (GER) demonstrated their depth of experience in the first quarterfinal, finishing 1-2 ahead of devastated reigning world champion Kimberley Woods (GBR) and Monica Doria (AND). 

Dual gold medallist Klaudia Zwolinska (POL) is one step closer to a golden hat-trick after finishing first in quarterfinal 2, ahead of Nikita Setchell (GBR) who will both go up against Chourraut and Funk in this afternoon's semifinal 1. 

Angele Hug (FRA) managed to battle to the front in a hard-fought quarterfinal ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Evy Leibfarth (USA) to make semifinal 2. Lena Teunissen (NED) finished third, missing out on a place in the semis following a capsize just off the start ramp.

A stacked quarterfinal 4 proved a nailbiter, easily the closest quarterfinal of the day. Andrea Herzog (GER) finished in front of Camille Prigent (FRA), who bounced back after a disappointing day in yesterday's K1. The race proved the end of Ana Satila's (BRA) push for a third medal of the championships.

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Heats

Maialen Chourraut (ESP) kicked into the heats in fine form, progressing through into the first quarterfinal with dominant paddler, Ricarda Funk (GER).

Heat two saw Monica Doria (AND) finishing ahead of current world champion, Kimberely Woods (GBR) to round out quarter final 1's start list with Chourraut and Funk.

In heat three, reigning Olympic gold medallist Noemie Fox (AUS) started from the outside and couldn't catch a break, finishing fourth and bowing out of her home world championships. Meanwhile, Victoria Us (UKR) and Klaudia Zwolinska (POL) made it through to quarterfinal two.

Joining them in the second quarter final line-up will be Kseniia Krylova (AIN) and Nikita Setchell (GBR). It was a tense wait for Emma Setchell, who had to wait for quarterfinal confirmation following a photo finish with Emma Vuitton (FRA). 

After Vuitton's heartbreak, the French team had cause for celebrations in heat five as Angele Hug (FRA) finished first across the line in front of Lena Teunissen (NED) to slot into quarter final three. Evy Leibfarth (USA)  pushed through to win heat six, joined by Shiting Li (CHN) in the one-two positions. 

Lining up for quarter final four will be Camille Prigent (FRA) and Andrea Herzog (GER), enjoying some clear water while competitors Chiara Sabattini and Lois Leaver battled it out at the back in heat seven; and Tereza Kneblova (CZE) and Ana Satila (BRA)  safely through in heat eight.

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Repechage ‍

After picking up a bronze in the C1, Andrea Herzog (GER) started with a strong showing in race 1 of the repechage, joining Teunissen (NED) to go through to the heats.

Lois  Leaver (GBR) and Olympic gold medallist Noemie Fox (AUS) made it through in a tight race two.

Monica Doria (POL) and Ricarda Funk (GER) both secured a nice lead in race three to cruise into the heats while repechage four saw Laia Sorribes (ESP) pushing ahead of Chu-Han Chang (TPE) to both make it through to the next stage.

In the final round one repechage, Rosie Rex (NZL) and Kseniia Krylova (AIN) took the wins after 18-year-old Codie Davidson of Team Australia got caught up in a skirmish and pushed out mid-course, signalling the end of her first World Championship push. 

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Round 1

World champion Kimberley Woods (GBR) battled it out in a photo finish with China's Li while Sydney 2025 double medallist Camille Prigent (FRA) won her heat.

Sister act Satila and Estacia Neta (BRA) both advanced from their heats and Sydney 2025 dual gold medalist Klaudia Zwolinska (POL) breezed through with an easy win ahead of the pack.

Powerhouse Ricarda Funk (GER) picked up a fault in the final race, seeing her drop into repechage.

Two Aussies will need to qualify through the repechage after Olympic gold medallist Noemie Fox finished in third and Aussie newcomer Codie Davidson, who stepped into the team to replace Jess Fox, finished fourth in her race.

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