BRITISH medal hopes were dashed on the final day of the European Canoe Slalom Championships.

Nottingham Olympic medallists David Florence and Campbell Walsh went close to podium places on their home water at Holme Pierrepont but had to be content with top-five finishes.

Florence finished fifth in the final of the men's canoe single event, which was won by Slovakian Michal Martikan.

Martikan headed a Slovakian one-two, ahead of Alexander Slafkovsky, with third place going to German Jan Benzien.

Florence, who won silver in Beijing last year, said: "I'm a bit disappointed with my run. Obviously the people who have taken medals put in fantastic performances and all credit goes to them.

"I was disappointed not to have made a better job of the bottom section. I had a good run until then."

Walsh, also a silver medallist at the Athens Olympics, claimed fourth place in the men's kayak, despite being the second quickest qualifier.

Gold went to Italian Daniele Molmenti, ahead of Frenchmen Boris Neveu and Julien Billaut. Brit Huw Swetnam claimed eighth place.

Yesterday's near misses were a far cry from the success enjoyed by the Brit pack the previous day as GB clinched gold in the women's and men's team events and bronze in the men's doubles.

Laura Blakeman and Louise Donington teamed up with 21-year-old Lizzie Neave to claim gold in the team finals in 108.63.

Blakeman said: "We made an effort to get together and do some team practice and we just stuck to our plans. I have been in the team for quite a few years and we have had a few bronze and silvers but never won it."

Neave also showed her promise as she made her first final in the individual event of a senior international.

The youngster, who has just recovered from a shoulder injury, recorded the third fastest time in the women's kayak semi-finals but unfortunately incurred a 50-second penalty in her final run after missing a gate.

She said: "I had to work hard to get back to fitness so this has made up for that.

"I am not one of the strongest paddlers in the world so having a more technical course makes up for it.

"It's three-and-a-half years to the London Olympics so hopefully I can keep getting better."

Blakeman and Donington failed to make the finals.

The men's K1 team made it a second gold for Great Britain as Walsh, Richard Hounslow and Swetnam beat Germany to the top spot, with a time of 94.62, in a great display of technique.

Etienne Stott and Timothy Baillie's third place in the canoe doubles rounded off a great day and came a year after they failed to make the team for the Beijing Olympics.

Stott said: "I am really proud of what we have done.

"We feel vindicated that we have got the medal in the bank and we can move forward now."

The men's doubles was won by the favourites and three-time Olympic champions, Pavel and Peter Hochschorner, from Slovakia.

And the men's C2 team didn't disappoint. Baillie and Stott added another medal to their tally, winning silver, alongside Florence, Hounslow, Daniel Goddard and Colin Radmore, with a time of 112.17 – just one second behind the winners, the Czech Republic.