Andorran Paddler Mònica Doria Reaches Semifinals in K1 and C1 at Paddle Europe Slalom

Andorran paddler Mònica Doria has advanced to the semifinals in both kayak (K1) and canoe (C1) at the 2026 Paddle Europe Slalom Championships in Ivrea, Italy, keeping her title defense alive.

In her opening heats on Thursday, Doria posted a clean run in K1 with a time of 89.52 seconds, securing 11th place—5.15 seconds off the fastest mark—and qualification among the top 30. She followed with a 97.57-second effort in C1, finishing 24th despite a two-second penalty that left her 6.15 seconds behind the leader. The C1 event holds particular significance for Doria, the reigning European champion from the 2025 edition in Vaires-sur-Marne.

Her coach, Cristian Toribio, expressed satisfaction with the performance. He noted that the heats qualified the top 30 for semifinals and described the results as solid, if not the strongest of the day. "The goal of reaching semifinals has been achieved, and tomorrow we start anew with the aim of making the finals," Toribio said.

Doria faces a packed Friday schedule. The K1 semifinal begins at 9:05 a.m., with a potential final at 11:36 a.m. if she qualifies. The C1 semifinal follows in the afternoon at 2:35 p.m., followed by a possible final at 5:06 p.m. Kayak cross remains scheduled for Saturday.

The Andorran enters the championships in strong form after a world silver and two World Cup bronzes at La Seu d'Urgell earlier this month. Those results have positioned her third in the overall rankings heading toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.