British canoers scoop three medals on third day of World Champs

GREAT Britain bagged three team medals on the penultimate day of the Canoe Slalom World Championships in La Seu d'Urgell, Spain.
CONSOLATION PRIZE: Olympian Laura Blakeman makes up for individual disappointment with team gold (British Canoe Union)

The women's kayakers enjoyed the most success on Saturday, striking gold in the K1 event ahead to add the World title to their European win from earlier in the season.

The trio of Elizabeth Neave, Louise Donington and Laura Blakeman conceded six penalties in their semi-final run to finish third fastest but after a flawless effort in the final, the Brits finished in 112.79 seconds, more than five secs ahead of the Slovakians in second.

Neave and Donington will be back in the water on Sunday for the semi finals of the individual event after qualifying fifth and 11th fastest from Thursday's heats and Blakeman was adamant the trio's dominant performance marks them out as the best in the world.

"It's a great achievement for us," said Blakeman, who failed to make it through the individual heats. "A second gold this year just confirms our position as the best.

"To follow up a gold medal at the Europeans with another one here shows it wasn't just a one-off."

Olympic canoeing silver medallist David Florence also grabbed a medal in the C2 team event.

Florence and C2 individual partner Richard Hounslow teamed up with duos Timothy Baillie and Etienne Scott and Colin Radmore and Daniel Goddard to finish in 117.20 secs.

Slovakia took gold in 113.51 secs with Germany in silver, just 0.23 secs ahead of the British six.

Florence has a busy schedule ahead of him on Sunday after qualifying 11th fastest for the C1 semi finals and fourth fastest with Hounslow for the C2 semis.

Britain's final medal of the day went to Campbell Walsh, Huw Swetnam and Hounslow who scooped silver in the K1 team competition.

Walsh and Swetnam have both qualified for Sunday's K1 individual semi-final and looked impressive as they recorded clean runs to see the Brits finish in 99.46 secs, just over a second behind Czech Republic.