Australia’s Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe team wrapped up their 2023 international season on Friday, with another gold and bronze medal at the ICF World Cup in Paris.
Competing in France on the course that will host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Dylan Littlehales added to his recent World Championships gold medal with another gold in the Men’s KL3 200.
Olympic Champions Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen rounded out their strong season with K2 500m World Cup bronze, with only 0.14 seconds behind Germany’s Max Rendschmidt and Jacob Schopf in first and Spain’s Adrian del Rio and Rodrigo Germade in second.
“I’m really happy to finish off the season with a bronze,” said van der Westhuyzen at the end of the regatta.
“The level has really lifted this year and we have some serious work to do if we want to be competitive in Paris.
Following their history-making World Championships campaign where Australia topped the medal tally, the World Cup which doubled as the Olympic and Paralympic Test Event was a great opportunity to become more familiar with the conditions at the Vaires-Sur-Marne course.
“It was great to get a feel for what could be next year at the Test Event,” van der Westhuyzen said.
“The Olympic feel is in the air and I am really looking forward to everything the next few months has to offer.”
In other events on the third and final day of racing, Ben Sainsbury placed 5th in the A-Final of the KL1 200 and Kathleen O’Kelly Kennedy 6th in the Women’s KL3 200.
Aly Bull placed fourth in the A-Final of the women’s K1 1000, and Alyce Wood finished first in the B Final. Jakob Hammond placed 5th in the B-Final of the Men’s K1 1000.
Alex Clarke and Yale Steinepreis placed third in the women’s K2 500 B-Final, and Australia’s sole C1 paddler Ben Manning placed 8th in the Men’s C1 1000 B-Final.
