KING OF THE ALPS 2015 (Report + Photos + Full Results + Video)

It is very difficult to be a King, but become one is even harder.

The king of the alps is a 3 -stage competition and awards two titles. The unofficial (but somewhat is…) European Champion for Extreme Kayaking, and the King of the Alps.

The European Champion is the paddler that wins the finals of the Head to head, the King of the Alps is the paddler that has the best overall results out of the three-stages (marathon, head to head, and Finals)

alternate_shots_KINGoftheALPS_chris_huber-25

The Trophy of the King of the Alps ©Flo Smith /kayaksession.com

At the King of the Alps, you have to run a mass-start class III-IV marathon on the Passer to qualify for the final on the 400m long class V section. Here the 20 finalist will compete in a ‘head-to-head’ format, i.e. the fastest of the qualification will battle the 20th, the second fastest will compete against the 19th and so on. The faster kayaker will advance to next round, so the best 10 will have a second battle and only the best 5, together with one “lucky loser”, will go to the big final. Here the fastest time wins!

Daniel Klotzner and Michele Ramazza battling for the lead in the Marathon race ©Flo Smith /kayaksession.com

Let’s go back to the marathon. This year, almost 100 paddlers coming from more than 10 countries, started together (mass-start) into a first blocked rapid: an incredible spectacle from outside! The local Daniel Klotzner managed to be the fastest, followed by the 3-time winner Michele Ramazza. After two head-to-head rounds on the final section, the best six paddles get to the big final: Egor Voskoboynikov (RUS), Sam Sutton (NZL), Daniel Haller (ITA), Michele Ramazza (ITA), Daniel Klotner (ITA) and Momo Castillo (CHI).

Organizer Luca Dapra ©Flo Smith /kayaksession.com

On the mighty final section, called “Intimidator Rapid”, Egor was the fastest, and so took home the European Champion title, followed by Daniel, Sam and Michele within 2 seconds. As said, it is not easy to become a King and to get the title you have to win the overall: this year Daniel get enough points to win the overall and get crowned King of the Alps 2015!

Daniel Klotzner the 2015 King of the Alps during the finals ©Flo Smith /kayaksession.com

Within the women, Pavlina Zasterova (CZE) became the new Queen of the Alps followed by Caroline Goodall (UK) and Angela Prendin (ITA).

Pavlina Zasterova (CZE) became the new Queen of the Alps followed by Caroline Goodall (UK) and Angela Prendin (ITA) ©Flo Smith /kayaksession.com

For the second time we also had a junior category, this time won by the local slalomist Martin Unterthurner (16) followed by Andi Brunner (AUT, 17) and Roman Glasman (GER, 17).

All in all, the format with the marathon and the extreme race proved to be a winning decision, attracting, year after year, the attention of more and more world-class paddlers, stocked about the race and the possibility to run the mighty Passer gorge!

See you next year!

KING OF THE ALPS 2015 byLuca Dapra Photos: Flo Smith – http://www.flosmithphotographic.com/

View some raw non edited runs of the 2015 king of the alps finals.