Jessica Fox.Picture: Sportscene TV
Robin Jeffery wins C1 silver, while Jess Fox and Sarah Grant won K1 silver and bronze to cap of an exciting days racing at the 2013 Australian Open.
25 year old Western Australian Robin Jeffery has won silver in the mens C1 final on Saturday continuing his red hot form from yesterday where he was the quickest in the heats.
German Franz Anton weaved his way through the 18 gate course recording a winning time of 91.47, 2.22
seconds ahead of Jeffery, with Czech Republic star Stanislav Jezek finishing in third.
After being adjudged to miss a gate, Ian Borrows successfully appealed to finish fifth, 2.92 seconds off the winning time, while London Olympian Kynan Maley, Ethan Hodson and Christian Fabris finished seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.
Jeffery was clearly delighted with his performance.
“It feels fantastic,” he said.
“I was hanging onto it a little bit in places and I was just really happy that I kept my mind on the
next gate the whole way down so I was not dwelling on anything.”
Tomorrow Jeffery will contest the C2 semifinal with U23 C1 winner Ethan Hodson. The newly formed duo are benefiting from the guidance of new mens Canoe Coach Nick Smith.
“We just had a meeting with Nick (Smith) then and so it is great having his input and plan,” said
Jeffery.
“I think this year will be a big development year for us, just to get the race experience, we are
more about the four year plan,” said Hodson.
It was a sense of déjà vu for London Olympian Jessica Fox in the womens K1 final after she won
silver in the womens K1 final having earlier qualified eighth fastest for the final in the semi, the
same result as in London.
Top Czech paddler Katerina Kudejova claimed the Gold with a great display of fast and attacking
racing down the Sydney Olympic course, winning in 96.78, 0.7 seconds ahead of Fox, with Victorian Sarah Grant claiming the bronze, a great result for Grant in the first senior selection
event for 2013.
“Obviously you want to win but Katerina Kudejova is one of the top girls in the sport and she raced
better than me today and she did really well and I was happy with my race,” said Fox.
“I will probably look back on it and think I can improve here and there but I think I was 0.7 behind,
it is not too bad, I am happy.”
Derwent River duo Daniel Watkins and Kate Eckhardt moved a step closer to junior national
selection with victories in the mens C1 and womens K1 junior events.
Racing continues tomorrow from 9:00am with the invitational which will followed at 9:30am with
the mens K1 semi-finals featuring reigning champion and German ace Sebastian Schubert, current
world number one Etienne Daille of France and Australian Lucien Delfour who will be looking to
improve on his sixth place finish at last year’s Australian Open.
The mens K1 semifinal will be followed by the mens C2 and womens C1 semi-finals with the finals
to proceed shortly after.