Paris 2024 Olympics - Sprint Canoe - Women's Kayak Double 500m Heats - Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium - Flatwater, Vaires-sur-Marne, France - August 06, 2024. Linnea Stensils of Sweden and Moa Wikberg of Sweden react. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
PARIS (Reuters) - Swedish canoe sprinter Linnea Stensils stuck out during Tuesday's kayak heats at the Paris Olympics as she ditched the protective skirt that usually covers a paddler's knees to better find her rhythm with partner Moa Wikberg.
It was a tactic that paid off as the pair finished second in their heat to qualify directly for the semi-finals of the women's K2 500-metre competition at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on the first day of flat-water sprint racing.
"I think it feels a little cramped with it and it gets pretty hot... so that's probably the reason why I just don't enjoy it, I want to be free and able to move," Stensils told Reuters of her decision to skip the spray skirt.
Given the freedom she desired, Stensils's knees pumped throughout the race as she and Wikberg finished two-hundredths of a second behind the Polish pair of Martyna Klatt and Helena Wisniewska to qualify.
"I didn't have many expectations before but was very focused on doing our race. It's always nice when you reach the finish line and you've done enough," Stensils said.
With the women's races taking just over 100 seconds to complete, there is little room for error, and the two paddlers have to quickly synchronise their strokes to ensure they generate as much power as possible as they scythe through the water.
"Keeping the pace well is a fundamental thing, so I have to follow Linnea and put (the paddle) in at the same time on the same side. Otherwise it is good if you have a good rhythm and good drive," Wikberg said.
"Getting good distance with each stroke (is important), you can paddle in many different ways -- it may look different but you go fast anyway," she added.
With the races over quickly, there is little time for conversation in the boat.
"It's a bit automatic now when we're out there paddling, we can say something if there is something we need to change or if we have an idea or something we should think extra hard about," Stensils explained.
"Mostly we are just quiet and have a plan for what we are going to do beforehand."
Tuesday's plan was enough for a spot in the semis, where the Swedes are hoping to avoid the top seeds.
"It looks like we had a pretty good time too, now we can only hope that it is an okay semi-final draw because they can be quite tough -- sometimes the top four can be in the same semi, and then it's difficult," Stensils said.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; editing by Clare Fallon)
