The first races at Paddle Australia Canoe Slalom Senior National Championships kicked off this afternoon with the Team events.
First place medal honours in the Men’s K1 went to the Victorian team of Tristan Carter and Aiden O’Callaghan who teamed up with former national team paddler and three time Olympian Warwick Draper (VIC). They finished two clear seconds ahead of 2018 national team paddler and Rio 2016 Olympian Lucien Delfour (NSW) who teamed up national team mate Tim Anderson (NSW) and U23 national team paddler Angus Thompson (NSW). Western Australians Ben Pope, Alex Nevin and Tim Coward completed the podium.
In the Women’s K1 Teams event, line honours went to the NSW-team of Paddle Australia’s 2018 national team paddlers Noemie Fox and Ros Lawrence who teamed up with former national team paddler Alison Borrows. The Tasmanian team of national representatives Kate Eckhardt and Demelza Wall together with Clair Hodgman finished second.
The Open C1 Teams was a tight tussle with the Western Australian team of 2018 national U23 team paddlers Brodie Crawford, Steve Lowther and junior team paddler Jack Choate coming out on top of national team paddler Ian Borrows (NSW) and Lachlan and Kaylen Bassett (VIC), who also contested the wildwater nationals last weekend.
Team races involve teams of three paddlers working in unison to navigate the white-water course while ensuring that each paddler goes through the course gates.
In slalom events, gates can be set up to paddle upriver (red gates) or downriver (green gates) and require a lot of technical paddling skills.
Tomorrow sees the start of the individual races in the Canoe Slalom Senior National Champs with the heats in the Women’s K1, and the Men’s C1 and C2 up first.
The National Slalom Champs will continue over the next three days (11 to 13 January) at the Brady’s Lake Whitewater Course, Tasmania with almost 60 athletes from across Australia competing for National Championship honours.
Results will be uploaded later tonight here: https://slalom.paddle.org.au/
This event is hosted by Paddle Tasmania and Derwent Canoe Club. The event is supported by Hydro Tasmania, Tasmanian State Government, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services and the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.
