The road to Rio will intensify this week for the nation’s best slalom paddlers with the final Olympic nomination trials to take place at the Oceania Championships from 19 to 21 February at Penrith Whitewater Stadium.
The first Olympic nomination trial was held at the Australian Open a fortnight ago with London Olympic silver medallist Jessica Fox (K1W), World Cup medal winner Lucien Delfour (K1M) and fellow New South Welshman Ian Borrows (C1M) producing the highest placing among the Australian field to head into the Oceania Championships with an advantage.
This Friday looks set to be a thrilling day of racing with the K1M, K1W and C1M heats doubling as the second of three Olympic nomination trials.
Athletes will be no doubt be nervous and excited to perform in this high pressured environment as for those rivalling Fox, Delfour and Borrows for a place in Rio it is important they finish ahead of them in the heats.
For Fox, Delfour and Borrows a victory would seemingly secure themselves Olympic nomination with two out of three trial wins.
K1 women
Jessica Fox – The 21-year-old world number one is in a strong position after her 13th placing at the Australian Open was good enough to take out the first Olympic trial.
The 2014 world champion is chasing her second Olympic Games berth after winning a silver medal on debut in London.
Fox will be looking for an improved performance at the Oceania Championships with a return to the finals on the cards.
It is going to be tough to see who can dethrone Fox from her number one mantle but here are her main rivals.
Noemie Fox - Was super impressive at the Australian Open a fortnight ago finishing second amongst the K1 women in 15th overall. Only a second behind her older sister.
At 18, Noemie has come on leaps and bounds in the past 12 months and will once again challenge her more fancied sister for a place in Rio.
Rosalyn Lawrence – Expect big things from the experienced Lawrence as she sets about following in her sister, Jacqui’s footsteps and race at an Olympic Games.
The 26-year-old is arguably Fox’s greatest rival for a place on the Olympic team despite only placing 18th at the Australian Open.
Lawrence recently beat Fox to win gold at the Australian Slalom Championships in January and on her day is capable of standing on top of the podium.
Other contenders: Georgia Rankin (WA), Alison Borrows (NSW) and Kate Eckhardt (TAS).
K1 men
Lucien Delfour - is the man to beat after finishing an impressive sixth at the Australian Open in Penrith to win the first nomination trial.
The world number three has been a consistent international performer in recent seasons. He finished second in the ICF World Cup series last year and was fifth at the 2014 World Championships.
Put simply, if Delfour produces his best he will be unstoppable in his pursuit of a maiden Olympic team berth.
Daniel Watkins and Tim Anderson – finished 24th and 25th respectively behind Delfour to be to the second and third best placed Australian paddlers at the Australian Open.
At 20 and 21, both men are at similar stages of their development and have demonstrated in the past 12 months that their raw speed is as good as anyone’s.
If they can produce some clean runs in Penrith they will put themselves firmly in the Rio frame but are more realistically pursuing a place on the senior and under-23 teams this year.
Warwick Draper – Chasing a record fourth Olympic Games berth, Draper is the most experienced of the contenders this year.
Calm under pressure and with a string of impressive performance at Penrith in the past Draper will be one to follow closely as he looks to improve on his 27th placing at the Australian Open.
Jaxon Merritt – After a cracking heat run at the Australian Open Merritt would have been disappointed with his 31st placing in the K1 semi-finals.
Despite that result putting him behind many or his rivals, Merritt’s best is very good and he is more than capable of winning the final two selection trials to secure himself a place in Rio.
Other contenders: Ben Pope (WA) and Alistair Anderson (VIC).
C1 men
Ian Borrows – finished 12th at the Australian Open to win the first Olympic nomination trial despite picking up a gate touch.
The 26-year-old is determined to return to his best this year after missing out on racing at the World Championships last year.
Borrows has a history of performing well on his home course at the Oceania Championships having previously finished fourth in 2014.
Kynan Maley – is looking to make his second Olympic Games team and race the C1 once again after he finished sixth on debut in London.
The 34-year-old has experience on his side and after finishing 14th at the Australian Open, he is guaranteed to be right in the mix.
Robin Jeffery – Competed alongside Kynan Maley in the C2 at the London Olympics. This time, he wants the C1 spot and is right in the mix after finishing 17th at the Australian Open.
The Western Australian has been the most consistent performer among the C1 men on the senior team in recent times, reaching the semi-finals at three of the four World Cups he raced at last year.
Other contenders: Ethan Hodson (NSW) and Christian Fabris (VIC).
Please note: For Australia’s C1 men, securing a place in the Olympic team is a far trickier situation than those chasing a K1 berth.
At last year’s World Championships, Australia’s C1 men failed to secure an Olympic quota but will get a chance to do exactly that at the Oceania Championships.
Robin Jeffery, Ian Borrows and Kynan Maley will be the three Australian paddlers eligible to earn C1 Men Oceania qualification quota place for Australia.
The quota will be determined from the results in the final stage reached in the competition by the nominated Oceania competitors.
Assuming our men are successful in securing a C1 quota, the selection process will work exactly the same as the other disciplines. If not, we will only send a K1W and K1M to Rio.
