Germany canoeist Franziska Weber has described the course conditions at the Mingachevir venue at the European Games as "crazy".
The 26-year-old, who won gold at the London 2012 Olympics in the K2 500m event, is due to participate in the K2 and K4 500m competitions in Baku.
Weber told reporters: "It's crazy. The water is cold at the 1,000m start and when you come closer to the finish it becomes warmer. The water becomes harder and heavier towards the end. I've never experienced something like that. The good thing is that it's fair. It's the same for all athletes."
Weber won silver medals at the World Championships in Moscow and European Championships in Brandenberg last year.
