WAIS Paddlers Through to Semi Finals

Published On: 14 August 2009

Alana Nicholls will be one of three WAIS athletes competing in semi finals later today

Western Australian Institute of Sport canoeing athletes enjoyed a productive first day of competition at the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Dartmouth, Canada.

Alana Nicholls and Lisa Russ – who are competing in the women’s K4 500m along with Lyndsie Fogarty and Hannah Davis – finished fourth in their heat and have qualified for the semi final.

Reece Baker and his men’s K4 1000m crew also advanced to the semi final stage after securing fifth position in their heat.

National High Performance Director Richard Fox was pleased with the opening day results.

“All our crews did what was required today which is a really positive result,” Fox said. “Often on the opening day of a world championship you can get carried away with the moment and bow out of the event but we came here focused and completed the job.”

The semi-finals of all 500m and 1000m events will be held on Friday evening Australian time.