Butcher storms to first world cup title
The Alexandra paddler charged to victory in kayak cross at the third round of the canoe slalom world cup in the Czech Republic.
Butcher, who splashed to immortality when he won gold at the Paris Olympics last year, has a special fondness for the Prague course and it showed as he thrashed his way to victory in the kayak cross final.
It was actually the Kiwi champion"s first world cup title.
Since making his international debut in 2012, he had claimed three silver medals and one bronze at world cup level, but gold had eluded him until yesterday.
The 30-year-old proved too strong as he stormed to the title ahead of Martin Rudorfer (Czech Republic) and Manuel Ochoa (Spain).
"Prague is my favourite world cup race," Butcher told the International Canoe Federation.
"I love coming here and I love racing here.
"It"s epic to take away a win and it"s my first world cup win as well. I have been second a few times and got bronze last year but it"s sick to get a gold."
Butcher timed his run in kayak cross to perfection.
After finishing second in his heat and second again in the quarterfinals, he won his semifinal before charging to gold in the final.
"It"s pretty cool," Butcher said.
"I had a bit of a slow start to the world cup in kayak cross.
"I talked to my coach yesterday about just letting it go and putting any expectations away — just sending it.
"I really wanted to approach the kayak cross with no expectations. Sometimes I can get too caught up in the tactics, like what I should be doing or what I need to be doing and then I take too long to make a decision."
There were plenty of roars in the women"s kayak cross race when Czech paddler Tereza Kneblova claimed gold.
Earlier, Butcher was fast but incurred a 50sec penalty in the new "short heats" slalom competition, and missed the final.
He was also looking fast in the traditional K1 slalom heat but had two flag penalties and finished 17th, missing out on the final.
Titouan Castryck (France) won the men"s kayak slalom, and Evy Leibfarth (USA) won the women"s kayak slalom.
Butcher and his partner, fellow kayaker Courtney Williams, will stay in Prague for a few more days for some training before a break in Ireland then another block of training in France.
The fourth round of the canoe slalom world cup is in Ljubljana-Tacen (Slovenia) on August 28-31, and the final is in Augsburg (Germany) on September 4-7.
That sets the scene for the world championships in Sydney at the end of September.
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