2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup Szeged: Preview, schedule and how to watch live
Szeged, Hungary will host the first round of the 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup from 10-12 May.
It will be an important competition for paddlers looking to evaluate their standing before the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Many of the sport’s greatest athletes will be in action, with honour and an early season confidence boost on the line.
Read on to find out more about the athletes to watch, schedule of events, and how to watch the 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup Szeged.
An Olympic legend returns to the water
Five-time Olympic Champion Lisa Carrington will hope to make her presence felt across the women’s kayak programme as she chases victory in the K1, K2, and K4 events.
The New Zealand paddling legend was recently named to her fourth Olympic team.
Earlier this year, she spoke to the media about the pressure she feels carrying the hopes and expectations of an entire nation.
“Sometimes I don’t think I notice the pressure until I am in a tight spot,” said Carrington. “It doesn’t help having won multiple medals before, but for me, it is making sure I don’t limit myself from what is possible.”
She certainly won’t limit herself at Paris 2024, taking on the challenge of competing in all three of the women’s kayak events.
The first stop of the 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup will hopefully provide her with some insight into what it takes to triumph in all three events.
- Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.
- As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
Lisa Carrington (New Zealand) training before a Paris 2024 canoe cprint women team selection announcement.
Debutant winner looks to reclaim title
Nevin Harrison will open her campaign to reclaim the top step of the women's C1 200m podium in Szeged.
The American paddler stormed to victory in the debut outing of the women’s C1 200m at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. However, she landed off the podium in fourth place at last year’s world championships.
While the result was enough to secure a quota place for Paris 2024, Harrison will look to make an early season statement in Szeged.
With selection to the U.S. canoe sprint team now secured, she can turn her focus towards reigning supreme in the shortest event on the canoe sprint program at Paris 2024.
Hungarian heroes look to impress ahead of Paris 2024
Six-time Olympic Champion Danuta Kozák will get her season started in the women’s K4 1000m. It will be an important test for the 37 year-old veteran who is attempting to make her fifth straight Olympic team.
Kozák has won a medal at every edition of the Olympic Games she has attended, so it’s never safe to count her out of podium contention.
She headlines an impressive home team, who are expected to perform well at one of the best venues in the world.
Another paddler bearing the weight of host team expectations is Bálint Kopasz.
One of two Hungarian paddlers to win a solo gold medal at Tokyo 2020, Kopasz will start the season with high hopes and immense pressure. He will race in the men’s K1 1000m.
Germany’s canoeing titan ready to challenge for victory
Sebastian Brendel stands tall amongst his competitors. The 1.8m (six foot) German once ruled over the men’s C1 1000m. However, he has struggled to find the top step of the podium in recent years.
The German paddler will seek a strong result in Szeged, which could indicate a chance at a third Olympic gold medal in his signature event after his victories at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
He will be challenged for the top spot by world champion Martin Fuksa and Olympic champion Isaquias Queiroz.
Schedule for 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup Szeged (Local Time GMT +2)
Friday 10 May
- 09:20 Women K4 500m Heats
- 09:32 Men K4 500m Heats
- 09:44 Women C2 500m Heats
- 09:56 Men C2 500m Heats
- 10:18 Women K1 1000m Heats
- 10:42 Mixed K2 500m Heats
- 11:33 Women K4 500m Semifinals
- 11:39 Men K4 500m Semfinals
- 11:45 Women C2 500m Semifinals
- 11:51 Men C2 500m Semifinals
- 12:17 Women K1 1000m Semifinals
- 12:34 Mixed K2 500m Semifinals
- 14:00 Men C1 200m Heats
- 14:15 Women K2 500m Heats
- 14:39 Men K1 500m Heats
- 15:09 Men K2 500m Heats
- 15:39 Men C1 500m Heats
- 16:13 Women K1 200m Heats
- 17:23 Men C1 200m Semifinals
- 17:33 Women K2 500m Semifinals
- 17:51 Men K1 500m Semifinals
- 18:09 Men K2 500m Semifinals
- 18:27 Men C1 500m Semifinals
- 18:49 Women K1 200m Semifinals
Saturday 11 May
- 09:35 Women K1 1000m Final B
- 09:45 Men C2 500m Final B
- 10:04 Women K4 500m Final A
- 10:11 Men K4 500m Final A
- 10:18 Women C2 500m Final A
- 10:25 Men C2 500m Final A
- 10:35 Women K1 1000m Final A
- 10:44 Women C1 1000m Final A
- 10:54 Mixed K2 500m Final A
- 13:00 Men K1 500m Final C
- 13:06 Men K2 500m Final C
- 13:12 Men C1 500m Final C
- 13:18 Men C1 500m Final B
- 13:24 Women K2 500m Final B
- 13:30 Men K1 500m Final B
- 13:36 Men K2 500m Final B
- 13:51 Women K1 200m Final B
- 14:04 Women C2 200m Final A
- 14:10 Men C1 200m Final A
- 14:20 Women K2 500m Final A
- 14:27 Men K1 500m Final A
- 14:34 Men K2 500m Final A
- 14:44 Men C1 500m Final A
- 14:51 Mixed C2 500m Final A
- 14:59 Women K1 200m Final A
- 16:47 Men K1 200m Heats
- 17:07 Women C1 200m Heats
- 17:32 Men K1 1000m Heats
- 18:21 Men C1 1000m Heats
- 18:52 Women K1 500m Heats
- 19:34 Women C1 500m Heats
Sunday 12 May
- 08:00 Women C1 200m Semifinals
- 08:20 Women K1 500m Semifinals
- 09:04 Men K1 1000m Semifinals
- 09:53 Men C1 1000m Semifinals
- 10:15 Men K1 200m Semifinals
- 10:32 Women C1 500m Semifinals
- 10:38 Women K1 500m Final E
- 10:44 Women K1 500m Final D
- 10:50 Women K1 500m Final C
- 10:56 Women K1 500m Final B
- 11:04 Men K1 200m Final A
- 11:10 Women C1 200m Final A
- 11:18 Women K1 500m Final A
- 11:25 Women C1 5000m Final A
- 11:33 Men C2 1000m Final A
- 11:42 Men K1 1000m Final A
- 11:51 Men C1 1000m Final A
- 11:58 Men K1 1000m Final F
- 12:05 Men K1 1000m Final E
- 12:12 Men K1 1000m Final D
- 12:19 Men K1 1000m Final C
- 12:26 Men K1 1000m Final B
- 12:33 Men C1 1000m Final B
- 12:41 Women K1 500m Final F
- 12:49 Women C1 200m Final B
- 12:54 Men K1 200m Final B
- 14:04 Women C1 5000m Final A
- 14:40 Men C1 5000m Final A
- 15:15 Women K1 5000m Final A
- 15:50 Men K1 5000m Final A
2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup Szeged: How to watch live
All races from the 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup will be streamed on the International Canoe Federation YouTube Page. Viewers will be required to pay a monthly subscription fee to access live streams of the competition.