Alexander Slafkovský Explained

Alexander Slafkovský
Nationality:Slovak
Birth Date:11 March 1983
Birth Place:Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia
Height:1.84 m
Weight:80 kg
Country:Slovakia
Sport:Canoe slalom
Event:C1
Club:Kanoe Tatra Klub/ASC Dukla
Show-Medals:no

Alexander Slafkovský (born 11 March 1983) is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has competed at the international level since 1998, specializing in the C1 event.[1]

Slafkovský won 15 medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with ten golds (C1 team: 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019), five silvers (C1: 2013, 2017, 2021, 2022, C1 team: 2022) and one bronze (C1 team: 2021).

At the European Championships he won a total of 22 medals (12 golds, 7 silvers and 3 bronzes), including a silver in the C1 team event at the 2023 European Games in Kraków. Slafkovský also won the overall World Cup title in the C1 class in 2012, 2016 and 2018.[2] He finished the 2017 season as the World No. 1 in the C1 event.[3]

In spite of being one of the top C1 paddlers of his generation, he has never competed at the Olympic Games, where during his career only one boat per country has been allowed to race in each discipline. First he was denied qualification by Michal Martikán in 2004. Due to an injury sustained while skiing, he missed most of the 2007 season, which prevented him from competing for a spot at the 2008 Games.[4] He lost to Martikán again in the internal fight for the 2012 games and then to Matej Beňuš in the three subsequent cycles (2016, 2020 and 2024).

Personal life

His father, who is also named Alexander, is a former mayor of Liptovský Mikuláš and his second cousin Juraj Slafkovský is an ice hockey player.[5]

Career statistics

Major championships results timeline

Event1999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011
World ChampionshipsC135Not held3925Not held1216Not held10512
C1 teamNot held41Not held4Not held111
European ChampionshipsC1Not held14Not heldNot held14293232
C1 teamNot heldNot held1Not held2121814
Event201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
World ChampionshipsC1Not held275Not held254Not held2212
C1 teamNot held111Not held111Not held325
European ChampionshipsC142016114161320
C1 team1131162142

World Cup individual podiums

Total
C1 8 13 7 28
SeasonDateVenuePositionEvent
2004 23 May 2004 3rd C1
2005 26 June 2005 bgcolor=silver2nd C11
2008 16 March 2008 3rd C12
29 June 2008 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
2009 28 June 2009 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
5 July 2009 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
2010 19 June 2010 3rd C1
2011 25 June 2011 3rd C1
13 August 2011 bgcolor=gold1st C1
2012 9 June 2012 3rd C1
16 June 2012 3rd C1
25 August 2012 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
1 September 2012 bgcolor=gold1st C1
2013 29 June 2013 bgcolor=gold1st C1
2014 2 August 2014 bgcolor=gold1st C1
2015 4 July 2015 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
2016 11 June 2016 bgcolor=gold1st C1
18 June 2016 bgcolor=gold1st C1
10 September 2016 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
2017 3 September 2017 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
10 September 2017 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
2018 23 June 2018 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
30 June 2018 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
7 July 2018 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
1 September 2018 bgcolor=silver2nd C1
2019 29 June 2019 3rd C1
31 August 2019 bgcolor=gold1st C1
2022 26 June 2022 bgcolor=gold1st C1

1 European Championship counting for World Cup points

2 Oceania Championship counting for World Cup points

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK) . CanoeICF.com . 25 September 2019.
  2. Web site: Alexander SLAFKOVSKY (SVK). CanoeSlalom.net. 10 September 2017.
  3. Web site: ICF Canoe Slalom World Rankings . 18 September 2021.
  4. Web site: Slafkovský si to užije pri mikrofóne . Sme.sk . 28 October 2023 . sk.
  5. Web site: Ľudia nás vidia nastajlovaných, bolesť zostáva skrytá. Jurajovi držím palce . Športweb.sk . 2 July 2023 . sk-SK . 1 August 2022.