Jesse Phillips (Doubleview) and Steve Bird (Doubleview) today earned the final spots for the team for the World Canoe Sprint Championships in Szeged Hungary commencing next Thursday.
Phillips and Bird won the best of three race-off against highly credentialed Joel Simpson and Matt Urquhart from the QAS, 2 – 0. Simpson was a K1 finalist in the K1 200m at the third World Cup in May and Urquhart was in the fifth placedK4 1000m crew at last year’s World Championships.
The first race saw Phillips and Bird get away to a scintillating start over the first 20 metres opening up a 1 metre lead which they held through to the end. The second race had Simpson and Urquhart get a better start which saw both crews hit the 50m mark, locked together, however, Phillips and Bird opened up a small gap just after that and showed steely determination to hold off the QAS duo in the closing stages. See www.team.canoe.org.au for full details.
Meanwhile on a local front late winter rains provided a much needed relief for competitors in the Avon Descent where WAIS paddlers excelled with Brendon Sarson (Karrinyup) taking honours in the single surf ski section and fourth overall. Brodie Holmes (Sorrento) won the two person team with former WAIS athlete, Tyrel Stedman, while Daniel Bowker (Doubleview) was part of the winning four person team.
