Hot Racing Expected at ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup II In Duisburg, Germany

Racing is expected to heat up at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup II in Duisburg this weekend with the regatta the second and final world cup competition ahead of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships and first Tokyo 2020 Olympic-quota deciding event at the end of August.

Australia’s canoe sprint paddlers kicked-off the international season with one gold and two silver medals at the opening World Cup in Poznan, Poland last weekend.

This weekend, the team will be aiming to make the most of the final international hit-out opportunity by trialling a couple of different combinations.

In the women’s K4, Western Australian Jaime Roberts will go into the K4 to race together with Cat McArthur (SA)Alyce Burnett (QLD) and Alyssa Bull (QLD). Roberts will replace Jo Brigden-Jones who will be contesting the K2 500 and 200 together with Brianna Massie instead.

In the men’s K4 Lachlan Tame (NSW) goes into the front seat with Murray Stewart (NSW)Tom Green (QLD) and Jackson Collins (QLD) behind him.

Lachlan Tame’s return to the Australian international team got off to a strong start last weekend, with the Rio 2016 K2 1000 bronze medallist finishing sixth in the K1 500 final.
Tame, who had been battling injury following a break post Rio, was thrilled to be back.

“It’s awesome to be back, and an honour to represent your country. To have that break and to know that is such an honour is a special thing and I’m grateful to be here and hopefully it’s upwards from here and there’s a lot of hard work ahead. The World Cup in Poznan was a good little stepping stone for the mental barrier and it’s great to be in the K4 500 for Duisburg. That’s the boat I want to be in. I want to take it to the Germans, they’re the best,” Tame said.

After only a couple of training sessions in the new combination, A-final will be the goal. In Poznan, both K4s finished second (WK4) and third (MK4) in the B-final.

“We still have a lot to work on, and being an Olympic qualification year, we need to be in an A final and it’s as simple as that,” Alyce Burnett said.

Competition is expected to heat up in Duisburg not only because of hot temperatures forecast for the weekend, but also with amongst others top canoe country Spain and canoe sprint powerhouse Hungary joining the action after missing in Poznan. Host team Germany is also expected to be at the top of its game, as the world cup is doubling as Germany’s selection event for this year’s World Championships.

Like Australia, several other teams are also tinkering with the team boat combinations, adding extra pressure to the competition.

In other Australian entries, Rio Olympians Riley Fitzsimmons and Jordan Wood will focus on the K2 1000 in Duisburg, while youngsters and newcomers to the Australian Senior team Jean van der Westhuyzen (QLD) and Jackson Collins will race the K2 500, the event they will also race at the U23 World Championships.

19-year old Tom Green will once again line-up in the men’s K1 1000 after finishing seventh in the final in Poznan. South Australian Matt Goble will contest the men’s K1 500 after also finishing seventh in Poznan. He will be joined by Joel McKitterick (QLD).

In the women’s K1 1000, Alyssa Bull will have the chance to defend her gold medal from Poland with teammate Cat McArthur lining up in the K1 1000 as well.

Alyce Burnett, who won silver in the K1 1000 event in Poznan, will race the K1 200 in Duisburg, as will Jaime Roberts.

In the women’s canoe events, Josie Bulmer (SA) and Bernadette Wallace (QLD) wrote history in Poznan contesting the first Senior women’s C2 for Australia at an international event.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will include women’s canoe events for the first time and Bulmer and Wallace only started training together six month ago. After a seventh place in the B final of the C2 500 the pair is looking forward to build on their performances and gain more race experience.

“The C2 was a huge learning curve racing with full lanes. We have only been in this boat since November so we are on a steep learning curve against crews that have been on the water for years and we are happy with what we learnt to move to Duisburg World Cup next.”

Both will also contest the women’s C1 200, while Bernadette Wallace will add the C1 5000 to her busy racing schedule.

Racing at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup starts on Friday, 31 May and concludes on Sunday, 2 June.

Follow live via: www.canoeicf.com
See event schedule HERE

Duisburg:

Men Women
Entry 1 Entry 2 Entry 1 Entry 2
MK1 200 WK1 200 Alyce Burnett Jaime Roberts
MK2 200 WK2 200 Jo Brigden-Jones / Brianna Massie
MK1 500 Joel McKitterick Matt Goble WK1 500
MK2 500 Riley Fitzsimmons / Jordan Wood Jean van der Westhuyzen / Jackson Collins WK2 500 Jo Brigden-Jones / Brianna Massie
MK4 500 Lachlan Tame / Murray Stewart / Tom Green / Jackson Collins WK4 500 Cat McArthur /Jaime Roberts /Alyce Burnett / Alyssa Bull
MK1 1000 Tom Green Jean van der Westhuyzen WK1 1000 Cat McArthur Alyssa Bull
MK2 1000 Riley Fitzsimmons / Jordan Wood WC1 200 Josie Bulmer Bernadette Wallace
WC2 500 Josephine Bulmer / Bernadette Wallace
WC1 5000 Bernadette Wallace
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