Alexander Slafkovský (born 11 March 1983) is a former Slovak slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1998 to 2023, 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).
Slafkovský announced his retirement from the sport in 2024.[5]
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.[6]
Career statistics
Major championships results timeline
| Event | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships | C1 | 35 | Not held | 39 | 25 | Not held | 12 | 16 | — | Not held | 10 | 5 | 12 | |
| C1 team | — | Not held | 4 | 1 | Not held | — | 4 | — | Not held | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| European Championships | C1 | Not held | 14 | Not held | — | Not held | 14 | 2 | 9 | — | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| C1 team | Not held | — | Not held | 1 | Not held | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 | |
| Event | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships | C1 | Not held | 2 | 7 | 5 | Not held | 2 | 5 | 4 | Not held | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| C1 team | Not held | 1 | 1 | 1 | Not held | 1 | 1 | 1 | Not held | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| European Championships | C1 | 4 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | 16 | 13 | 20[a] |
| C1 team | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 4 | 2[a] | |
World Cup individual podiums
|
|
|
Total | |
| C1 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 28 |
| Season | Date | Venue | Position | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 23 May 2004 | La Seu d'Urgell | 3rd | C1 |
| 2005 | 26 June 2005 | Tacen | 2nd | C11 |
| 2008 | 16 March 2008 | Penrith | 3rd | C12 |
| 29 June 2008 | Tacen | 2nd | C1 | |
| 2009 | 28 June 2009 | Pau | 2nd | C1 |
| 5 July 2009 | Bratislava | 2nd | C1 | |
| 2010 | 19 June 2010 | Prague | 3rd | C1 |
| 2011 | 25 June 2011 | Tacen | 3rd | C1 |
| 13 August 2011 | Prague | 1st | C1 | |
| 2012 | 9 June 2012 | Cardiff | 3rd | C1 |
| 16 June 2012 | Pau | 3rd | C1 | |
| 25 August 2012 | Prague | 2nd | C1 | |
| 1 September 2012 | Bratislava | 1st | C1 | |
| 2013 | 29 June 2013 | Augsburg | 1st | C1 |
| 2014 | 2 August 2014 | La Seu d'Urgell | 1st | C1 |
| 2015 | 4 July 2015 | Liptovský Mikuláš | 2nd | C1 |
| 2016 | 11 June 2016 | La Seu d'Urgell | 1st | C1 |
| 18 June 2016 | Pau | 1st | C1 | |
| 10 September 2016 | Tacen | 2nd | C1 | |
| 2017 | 3 September 2017 | Ivrea | 2nd | C1 |
| 10 September 2017 | La Seu d'Urgell | 2nd | C1 | |
| 2018 | 23 June 2018 | Liptovský Mikuláš | 2nd | C1 |
| 30 June 2018 | Kraków | 2nd | C1 | |
| 7 July 2018 | Augsburg | 2nd | C1 | |
| 1 September 2018 | Tacen | 2nd | C1 | |
| 2019 | 29 June 2019 | Tacen | 3rd | C1 |
| 31 August 2019 | Markkleeberg | 1st | C1 | |
| 2022 | 26 June 2022 | Tacen | 1st | C1 |
- 1 European Championship counting for World Cup points
- 2 Oceania Championship counting for World Cup points
References
- ^ "Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK)". CanoeICF.com. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "Alexander SLAFKOVSKY (SVK)". CanoeSlalom.net. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- ^ "ICF Canoe Slalom World Rankings". Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ "Slafkovský si to užije pri mikrofóne". Sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ "Slafkovský ukončil kariéru, teraz je z neho študent. Olympiáda bola pre neho zakliata". sport.aktuality.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Ľudia nás vidia nastajlovaných, bolesť zostáva skrytá. Jurajovi držím palce". Športweb.sk (in Slovak). 1 August 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- 12 September 2009 final results of the men's C1 team slalom event for the 2009 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. – accessed 12 September 2009.
- 2010 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships 12 September 2010 C1 men's final results – accessed 12 September 2010.
- ICF medalists for Olympic and World Championships – Part 2: rest of flatwater (now sprint) and remaining canoeing disciplines: 1936–2007.
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