May 7, 2018
Slovenia’s a sporting nation, with many of the most popular activities, as well as the most adrenalin pumping, emerging from the varied landscape of the country itself. One of these is kayaking, which can run from a smooth and easy trip up or down the Ljubljanica, to a thrilling – and often terrifying – race along white water full of boulders, branches and dangers unknown.
However, competitive kayaking is perhaps not the most thrilling sport to watch. You’ve seen one person go down the run, you’ve seen them all, with slight variations. The same cannot be said, however, for Kayak X, which – like all sports with that final letter – involves competition in real time, with four kayakers dropped into the water and then hurtling down the course at once, each vying to stay upright and ahead of the field.
If you’ve no idea what I’m talking about then take a look at the following video, although not filmed at Tacan, the suburb to the north of Ljubljana that will host this Sunday’s event, as powered by the River Sava.
You can enjoy all the action, and get some fresh air amid the excitement, on Sunday May 13 at Tacen Whitewater Course, with the second Open National Championships in Extreme Slalom (Kayak X) running from 17:00 to 20:00. The details, in Slovene and English, are on the related Facebook page, where you can also register to be a competitor (free if done in advance, and 10 EUR on the day), although note the following warning: “Each competitor should be familiar with the dangers and risks that may occur during the competition, and declare that in case of any damages caused by taking part at this competition, they will not sue or demand compensation from the organizer." Competitors compete at their own risk.
