With the 2011 World Sprint Canoe Championships set to get underway in Hungary this week, WAIS kayaker Jesse Phillips has spoken of his “relief” that he and K2 200m teammate Stephen Bird will be lining up in the green and gold for Australia.
Phillips and Bird had to win a best of three race-off for the K2 200m national spot against the Queensland pair of Joel Simpson and Matt Urquhart, with the WAIS duo winning in two straight races.
The Ramon Andersson coached pair set a blistering pace in the first exchange to capture a comfortable win, before securing selection with a second win soon after to take the best of three format 2-0.
Speaking after the selection was formalised, Phillips admitted that he Bird were relived to have won, but were now focused on the big picture at worlds against the world’s best over the 200m distance.
“Today was a great day for us as a combo, two years taking the National Title and two years taking the National Selection Race-off before the World Championships, Steve and I are certainly relieved about the result but we now re-focus our mission on Olympic Qualification at the Worlds next week,” he said.
Phillips took the opportunity to thank his team back home for the support that has led to the 2011 World Championships.
“We would like to thank all the staff at WAIS for their support, especially; Simon Jones, Pete Peeling, Matt Doyle, Gil Barnitt, Kevin Hayter, Lizzie Moyle, Jen Marsh, Michael Pond and of course our great leader Ramon Andersson,” Phillips said.
Jesse Phillips and Stephen Bird begin their campaign from Szeged, Hungary on Thursday 18th August and will be joined in competition by fellow WAIS athlete Alana Nicholls who will be paddling in the K1 200m and K1 500m events. WAIS Head Coach Ramon Andersson is also in Hungary, as part of the Australian coaching team.
Phillips, despite spending the past three weeks in Europe sent his regards to his training partners back in the West and had been keeping an eye on the local results.
“A huge cheers to the other WAIS Kayakers for all their messages and support, and I hope they are training hard,” he said. “Well done on the recent Avon Descent Results.”
