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Evy kayaking
The 2022 ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Ivrea, Italy, concluded with the exciting extreme slalom event this past weekend July 9 and July 10.
In the last event of the championships, Evy Leibfarth, from Bryson City, won her second Junior Extreme Slalom World Champion title, after being the best already in 2019. Leibfarth, who is also extreme slalom bronze medalist from last year’s senior World Championships, did not have much luck before the final day of the championships.
She was considered the main contender for gold medals both in junior kayak and canoe events but mistakes in both pushed her out of the podium positions for the two events.
“I definitely didn’t have the races I wanted to in slalom, but it happens. I am really stoked to end on a high note,” Leibfarth told IFC just after the race.
“I am super excited. It was a tough fight all the way through the race. I am just super stoked that I got a medal. It’s super exciting!”
Zuzana Pankova from Slovakia was second in women’s junior extreme slalom event, winning her fourth medal of the championships, while German Charlotte Wild picked up bronze medal.
Leibfarth was the defending K1 junior World Champion. In the trials, she dominated finishing in the first position, 0.09 seconds ahead of Zuzana Pankova. The two also dominated in the trails for the junior canoe heats July 7.
Leibfarth has medals from the senior World Cups, World Championships and Pan American Games.
The kayaker who trains on the Nantahala River in Swain County competed in the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. She plans to return to the Olympics to be held in Paris 2024.
She must pay her own way for the most part, and has a GoFundMe account for donations. https://www.gofundme.com/s?q=Evy%20Leibfarth
Follow Evy on her website, goevy.com.