Greatest Female Slalom Paddler Jess Fox Makes It Double Gold

The records continued to tumble for Australia’s Jessica Fox on the final day of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Rio, her victory in the women’s C1 confirming her status as the greatest female paddler in the history of the sport.

Fox was once again in a class of her own in the women’s C1. She has now won the title four times, the K1 title three times and the K1/C1 double for a second time, and managed to paddle through an entire season undefeated in C1. She was also the first athlete to win both the K1 and C1 World Cup titles.

Her win takes her total world titles across all disciplines, including teams, to nine, leapfrogging her mother, Myriam Jersusalmi, to become the most successful female canoe slalom paddler of all time.

24 hours earlier she overtook her father, Richard, as the most successful individual athlete of all time when she won the K1 and defended her 2017 K1 title.

“This is an emotional win and it’s been a massive weekend and a massive year. It’s been the perfect season, the perfect world championships, I’m absolutely thrilled,” Fox said.

“I left it all out there and I’m so super happy with this outcome. I can’t thank everyone enough for all their support back home and our team here. It’s been amazing.

“Yesterday was really hard because I couldn’t appreciate what I had achieved because I had the C1 semis in the afternoon. But now all the emotion is there, it’s amazing to share it with everyone that’s here – my team, my family – I can’t wait to get home and celebrate.

“Growing up with two parents who were very successful in the sport was always pretty daunting, and I never thought I would be able to beat dad’s record of five titles, or achieve what mum achieved. She’s my inspiration and she’s been amazing on this journey as has dad, my sister, my whole family and all my friends back home.

“To beat them is very cool, very special, but it’s as much their achievement as mine. They’ve been with me the whole step of the way. Everyone back home has supported me and has helped shape me to the athlete I am.”

Fox posted a clean run of 109.07, almost five seconds faster than defending world champion, Mallory Franklin of Great Britain in 113.85. Czech Tereza Fiserova was third in 116.74.

Rosalyn Lawrence (NSW) was the second Australia in the C1 final and finished seventh.

The 2019 Canoe Slalom World Championships, which doubles as a Tokyo 2020 qualifier, will be held in La Seu, Spain.

RESULTS

WOMEN’S C1 (Sunday, 30 September )

1. FOX Jessica            (AUS) 109.07 (0)
2. FRANKLIN Mallory   (GBR) 113.85 (2)
3. FISEROVA Tereza     (CZE) 116.74 (2)
4. LAWRENCE Rosalyn (AUS) 121.26 (0)

WOMEN’S K1 (Saturday, 29 September)

1. FOX Jessica               (AUS) 102.06 (0)
2. FRANKLIN Mallory   (GBR) 104.34 (0)
3. FUNK Ricarda             (GER) 105.32 (2)

Paddle Australia Team – 2018 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships Results

See all results: https://www.canoeicf.com/canoe-slalom-world-championships/rio-de-janeiro-2018/rankings-results