For an athlete like Jessica Fox, a three-time Olympic champion and one of the most dominant forces in Canoe Slalom, words of uncertainty are almost unheard of.
Yet, heading into the opening International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Cup in Tacen, Ljubljana, that is exactly where she finds herself.
“It’s a funny feeling,” said Fox.
“I come into this race, and I’m like, I don’t know where I am. I don’t know where I stand. So, there’s this curiosity to find out.
“I’m humble because I don’t know where I’m at.
“It’s exciting as well to try and build up back to where I was, and if not, better.”
Fox is back on the start line for the first time in almost a year after surgery to remove a tumour from her kidney, an ordeal that abruptly ended her previous season and forced her into a long building phase.
“Nine months ago, I was having surgery to remove a tumour from my kidney,” said Fox.
“From one day to the next, it felt like my whole world had turned upside down.
“I went from paddling every day and doing what I love, to feeling like I was starting from scratch and building back up from walking for 10 minutes to paddling on the flatwater for 10 minutes and then finally getting back on the rapids.”
Fox also faced the disappointment of missing out on competing at a home World Championships in Penrirth.
“To not have that opportunity to race at home in front of family and friends and all those people who supported us was the hardest part,” she said.
“But I still managed to enjoy it, get inspired and be hungrier to get back.”
Even after returning to training, the path back has not been smooth.
Minor injuries disrupted her preparation, and the challenge of re-entering elite competition after such a long absence has added another layer of unpredictability.
“I really had to build back up my core and my strength; those are the main things that you lose,” said Fox.
“I had to be really patient and listen to my body and my medical team.
“Having that much time off, my body had to readjust to certain things which meant I had a few more little niggles and injuries as well, so the preparation hasn’t been perfect, but the goal is to get to the World Championships and the second half of the season where we start that Olympic qualification process.”
For Fox, the early World Cups in Tacen, Prague and Augburg are less about results and more about rebuilding.
That shift in approach is striking for an athlete who has spent much of her career at the summit of the sport, often as the one to beat.
But it has also brought a different perspective, one that is more reflective, and in some ways, more freeing.
Fox’s immediate focus is simply rediscovering her competitive rhythm at the opening rounds of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Tacen.
Beyond that, she is already looking ahead to the next major milestones, including the World Championships in Oklahoma City and the long road to LA28.
“I’ve never been to Oklahoma, so I’m excited to get on that course. It’s not often you get to unlock a new venue,” she said.
“It’s also our first taste of LA28, so I’m really looking forward to that.”
For now, though, performance metrics matter less than something more basic: rediscovering where she stands in a sport she has long ruled.
That unfamiliar feeling of uncertainty is what makes this return both challenging and unexpectedly compelling.
Join Planet Canoe's YouTube channel for €9.99 per month to unlock members-only content and features
Related links
