5. juni 2012

Danish Canoe Association’s K1 200m Olympic Nomination stirs debate


Jimmy Bøjesen decided to spend this weekend on completely different things than kayaking . Photo: Das Büro.

This weekend’s Bagsværd Regatta offered a remarkable race and drama both on and off the lanes in the men’s k1 200 meters.

At May’s two World Cup races in Poland and Germany, Jimmy Bøjesen and Kasper Bleibach both raced to fight over the Olympic spot in k1 200m, which Jimmy Bøjesen secured for Denmark at the 2011 World Championships in Hungary. In this battle, Kasper Bleibach drew the longest straw with a margin of better times and placings.

However, none of the paddlers managed to make it to the top, as Jimmy Bøjesen came fourth in the Duisburg B-final in time 35.863, and Kasper Bleibach came third in the same B-final in time 35.838.

Shortly before Bagsværd Regatta where all Danish paddlers had the chance to race against each other, the Danish Canoe Association had submitted the Olympic nominations to The Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) regarding the k1 200m spot at the Olympics, and nominated Kasper Bleibach on the basis of the predetermined selection criteria of “best out of three races”.


Casper Nielsen wins Bagsværd Regatta 2012 in K1 200 meter. Video: Jens Thybo

Jimmy Bøjesen was enrolled to Bagsværd Regatta, but the national team paddler had decided to spend the weekend on completely different things than kayaking. And the debate of DKF’s Olympic nomination for the k1 200m spot has certainly fueled during the past week.   

Unfortunately, I’m aware of the problems there has been along the way; I fully respect Kasper Bleibach and congratulate him on the 200m spot. But naturally, I had rather seen Jimmy do the k1 200m, and I hope DKF and Team Danmark will consider who should be doing k1 200m in the future, says Lars Bøjesen on The Danish Paddling Magazine’s Facebook debate site. 

Casper Nielsen won Bagsværd Regatta. Photo: Jens Thybo.
At the same time, this weekend’s Bagsværd Regatta showed that Denmark’s currently fastest guy on the k1 200m distance – with the absence of Jimmy Bøjesen – is Gladsaxe’s Casper Nielsen.

Casper Nielsen won Bagsværd Regatta in front of Olympic nominee Kasper Bleibach and Esben Østergaard from the club Odin in Odense. Esben is not on the national team, but was able to push both Casper Nielsen and Kasper Bleibach to the fullest, and only 73/100 of a second separated the gold from bronze in the race.

Following Bagsværd Regatta, Esben Østergaard has been selected to do k1 200m at the U23 European Championships in July in Portugal.

Results from Bagsværd Regatta 2012, k1 men 200m:

1

Casper Nielsen
Gladsaxe
00:38:007
2

Kasper Bleibach
Maribo
00:38:032
3

Esben Østergaard
Odin
00:38:080
  
  
Translation: Birgit Pontoppidan