Triple Double Gold – Fox Proves There Can Be Certainties In Sport

Jessica Fox continues her unbeaten run by winning the women’s K1 and C1 at Canoe Slalom World Cup 3 in Augsburg, Germany (6-8 June 2018) and making it six World Cup wins in a row.

There are but very few certainties in life; night certainly follows day, English football fans get overexcited, and Jessica Fox (NSW) will win canoe slalom gold.

The pundits will tell you there can never be certainties in sport, but when Jessica Fox won her sixth consecutive canoe slalom gold medal on Sunday (8 July), she asserted herself as the closest thing to a sure thing sport can deliver.

Such is the Australian’s confidence at the moment, she even afforded herself a smile as she clanked into the final gate on the Augsburg course.

It’s not cockiness, but a belief in where she is in her paddling at the moment, and what she is capable of. Competitors are left looking on in awe, with a look of rabbits staring into a blazing spotlight.

Tokyo 2020 is still a long way off, but after a K1 silver and bronze at the past two Olympics, and with the debut of C1 at the next Games, Fox is already eying off the prospect of making history.

Even with a two second penalty for a gate touch Fox was able to finish 4.50 seconds ahead of current World Champion Mallory Franklin, of Great Britain, with Brazil’s Ana Satila third.

“We are two years out and the Tokyo clock is ticking, so I really want to make every race count and learn each time I sit on the start line. I love this course, and I’ve had an amazing weekend,” Fox said.

“It’s been an amazing three weeks and I’m so thrilled with that last race. I really, really attacked it, I hit the last gate but I think the rest of my run was almost perfect.”

And looking ahead Fox added, “I will have a little break now and then go back into training. We’ll actually be going to Rio (2018 World Championships location) for a little training camp next and I’m looking forward to coming back for the next world cups.”

Sunday’s C1 win completes an unbeaten World Cup run for Fox that started with the K1 and C1 golden double at the opening World Cup of the season in Liptovsky Mikulas Slovakia (22 – 24 June 2018). She then repeated the impressive performance last weekend in Krakow, Poland (29 June – 1 July 2018). In Augsburg Fox made it a triple double gold after once again winning both the women’s K1 and C1.

In other Australian results in Augsburg, Rosalyn Lawrence (NSW) finished eighth in the women’s C1 final, while Noemie Fox (NSW) finished 19th.

In the men’s K1, Timothy Anderson (NSW) gave a strong performance to finish 16th in the semi, while Lucien Delfour (NSW) picked up a 50-second penalty to relegate the 2016 Olympian to 33rd.

Already on Saturday (July 7) Jessica Fox was the star of the regatta after winning the women’s K1 with an incredible six seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Mallory Franklin to give the Australian her third K1 World Cup title in 2018. Fox raced down the Augsburg course in 102.10, ahead of Franklin’s 108.56.

“I thought after my s-gate at the finish I had a 105, but to see a 102 I’m just blown away, I am so happy,” Fox said after Saturday’s race.

“I think my K1 race in Augsburg is one of my best runs ever and I can’t believe, it’s been such an incredible start to the season. I know last year Ricarda (Funk, Germany) won three gold medals and I was three times second, so to get up on that and stop this time is wonderful.”

Ros Lawrence made her first K1 final of the season on Saturday, but picked up a 50-second penalty for a missed gate and had to settle for tenth place, while Kate Eckhardt (TAS) finished 15th in the semi-finals.

In the men’s C1, Ian Borrows (NSW) finished 20th and Daniel Watkins (TAS) 28th in the semi-final.

More than 250 athletes from almost 40 countries took part in the third ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup, held on the site of the 1972 Munich Olympic slalom competition in Augsburg. All current World and European champions were competing at the venue, where the sport made its Olympic debut.

The ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup season takes a break until the end of August, when competition will resume with Slalom World Cup 4 in Tacen, Slovenia (31 August – 2 September 2018). The ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Final will take place in La Seu D’Urgell, Spain 7 – 9 September 2018.

The World Cup series will be followed by this year’s World Championships on the Olympic course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 25 – 30 September 2018.

RESULTS WOMEN’S C1 FINAL

  1. FOX Jessica (AUS) 111.15 (2)
  2. FRANKLIN Mallory (GBR) 115.65
  3. SATILA Ana (BRA) 115.79

8. LAWRENCE Rosalyn (AUS) 131.67

RESULTS WOMEN’S K1 FINAL

  1. FOX Jessica (AUS) 102.10
  2. FRANKLIN Mallory (GBR) 108.56
  3. TERCELJ Eva (SLO) 108.86 (2)

10. LAWRENCE Rosalyn (AUS) 164.60 (52)

All results can be found here: https://www.canoeicf.com/canoe-slalom-world-cup/augsburg-2018/rankings-results

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