WAIS’s biggest ever contingent in an Australian Senior Canoe Sprint team lines up for the first World Cup of the season in the Czech city of Racice. With an exciting group of upcoming paddlers the Australian team will look to build on last year’s success in Beijing.
Lisa Russ (Hilton) will head up the women’s team where she will stroke the K4 which will also include Alana Nicholls (Dianella) representing Australia in a senior team for the first time. Russ and Nicholls will also pair up in the K2 500m. Russ has made an excellent recovery from toe surgery following a torn ligament at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships in March.
Reece Baker (Marmion) will return to the senior team after debuting in 2007 with Olympic Gold Medallist Clint Robinson. This time Baker will be in the new lookK4 1000m crewwhich doesn’t contain any paddlers from last year’s Olympic crew.
Jesse Phillips (Nollamara) will line up in the K1 1000m alongside Olympic Gold Medallist Ken Wallace. Phillips incurred a set back at the National team camp a couple of weeks ago when a foot infection left him hospitalised on an intravenous drip for six nights and will look to build up his fitness throughout the tour.
Racing starts 3pm Perth time and results can be followed at http://kanoe.cz/rychlost/regattas/09_world_cup/index.php
On the local front, the annual 11.5km John Sims race from Ascot Kayak Club to Barker’s Bridge Caversham and return was held over the weekend with brilliant weather greeting all 200 paddlers. Reece Baker rounded off his local preparation with a convincing win in the K1 event in a time of 48 min 48 sec.
