Peter and Ato Skantar win the 2016 Best Male Canoe Slalom award in an Olympic year.

Peter Škantár/Ladislav (Ato) Škantár (Slovakia) – Winners of the ‘Best Male Canoe Slalom 2016’ award in an Olympic year.

Born: 1983 (Ladislav), 1982 (Peter), sport: Canoe Slalom, representing: Slovakia
2016: Olympic Champions C2M, 2nd overall world ranking C2M

After years of world-class results, Peter and Ladislav (Ato) Škantár stormed the C2M Canoe Slalom Olympic final to take gold topping off an extraordinary season. In recognition for this, the Slovakian cousins have been awarded as the winners of the Best Male Canoe Slalom award in an Olympic Year.  

With both men not being able to attend the ceremony due to a competition in Australia, the crowd was treated to a video acceptance message from the two of them. 

"First of all we would like to thank you for the nomination and it is an honour for us to win this category. We are sorry, we can't be there with you, but at this moment we are training in Australia and it is too far," Ato said. 

Peter reiterated Ato's words by adding, "Once more I would like to thank you for the nomination, the award ceremonies like these are reminding us these beautiful memories on our career and as Ato already mentioned, it is a pity we can't be there with you today, but I believe you all are enjoying this evening and I am sure we will meet on other big sport events, so have a nice evening."

Speaking about their win, it seemed that it still hadn't completely sunk in. 

"This year was special for us and our big sport dreams came true, mainly that we made it to Olympics over the triple Olympic winners and medalists Hochschorner twins. Already this was exceptional for us and after that we won the Olympic medal, these emotions are still big even today and it is a unforgettable whole life experience which I would like to wish to every athlete," Peter said. 

With the C2 event looking like it may not be included on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic program, Peter and Ato may forever remain the reigning Olympic champions in this event but this is much to their disgust. Speaking very honestly, Peter said it would be a complete shame to loose the most beautiful category in Canoe Slalom.

"After 25 years of paddling together in C2 I definitely don't want to change to C1. C2 is my heart and it will never change. Recent years have shown that this category has grown and incredibly settled and it is certainly very attractive for spectators to watch interplay of two athletes in one boat as it is completely different to other categories. The fact that this category will be removed is very sad and I am terribly angry, and I have tears in my eyes because I think that this did not need to come," Peter said. 

With the future of the category still in question, Peter and Ato have continued their quest for C2 glory with the pair taking out the win at the Australian Open over the weekend. 

Read their full profile here.