Jeffery Targeting National Selection
The battle for senior selection will take place this weekend at Bradys Lake when the nation’s best slalom paddlers fight it out at Selection Events 3 and 4 for a place on this year’s senior team.
Headlining the 2013 event will be London Olympic K1 silver medallist Jessica Fox and Western Australian Institute of Sport athlete and C2 Olympian Robin Jeffery, with both in red hot form following silver medal wins in the K1 and C1 respectively at the Australian Open a fortnight ago.
The Bradys course is regarded as the best natural flowing course in the country, with a big drop at the start and a fast and technical middle and lower section, making it a great spectator course for onlookers, and challenging for athletes.
Fox will be the one to beat in the women’s K1 event after finishing second at the Australian Open last month.
Victorian Sarah Grant and New South Wales paddler Ros Lawrence will also be favourites to make this year’s senior team, after Grant won bronze in the K1 at the Australian Open, while Lawrence took out the K1 national title in Eildon, Victoria earlier this year.
The women’s C1 will also be a battle between Lawrence and Fox with the two girls ranked first and third respectively on the ICF World Rankings.
U23 NSWIS paddler Ali Borrows, 15 year old Tasmanian Kate Eckhardt and Jessica’s younger sister Noemie Fox will also be in the mix.
24 year old Lucien Delfour is a man in form and will be hard to stop in the men’s K1, with the NSWIS paddler determined to win this weekend’s event after finishing third at the Australian Open in Penrith a fortnight ago.
NSWIS paddler Joey Croft and Melbourne’s Jaxon Merritt will be Delfour’s main challengers, while keep a close eye on Tasmanian duo Andrew Eckhardt and Daniel Watkins with the Derwent River duo more than capable of springing an upset down their home course.
Victorian Warwick Draper and Armidale’s Will Forsythe will not compete this weekend but still remain in the picture for senior selection.
The men’s C1 event will be highly competitive, with Jeffery the favourite after winning silver at the Australian Open.
Jeffery’s C2 partner Ethan Hodson, fellow New South Welshman Ian Borrows, Victoria’s Christian Fabris and local paddler Eckhardt will be amongst those set to challenge for senior honours.
Racing will begin on Saturday from midday with the men’s C1, women’s K1 and men’s K1 heats.
Schedule is still subject to change, please check the Australian Canoeing website – www.canoe.org.au for official schedule and start lists prior to the event.
– Australian Canoeing