Australia closes out World Cup campaign with 17-medal haul ahead of World Championships

Paddle Australia’s Canoe Sprint and Para Canoe team has capped off a successful 2026 ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Cup campaign, finishing with an impressive 17 medals across the three World Cup events as attention now turns to next month’s World Championships in Poznan, Poland.

Australia added five medals at the final World Cup in Montreal, Canada, with Ben Sainsbury (VL1 200), Tom Green (K1 1000), Jean van der Westhuyzen (K1 500) and Natalia Drobot ( K1 500) all stepping onto the podium, while the men’s K4 500 crew continued its strong form with another bronze medal performance.

Sainsbury continued his outstanding season by claiming gold in the men’s VL1 200, backing up his victory from the second World Cup in Brandenburg. The Paralympian crossed the line more than 16 seconds clear of the field to reinforce his status as one of the world’s leading VL1 paddlers heading into the World Championships.

Olympic gold medallist Tom Green delivered another standout performance in the men’s K1 1000, claiming silver after an exciting battle with Portugal’s three-time World Champion Fernando Pimenta. Green also featured in Australia’s bronze medal-winning men’s K4 500 crew alongside Jean van der Westhuyzen, Pierre van der Westhuyzen and Noah Havard.

Rising star and New South Wales Insitute of Sport (NSWIS) athlete Natalia Drobot continued her impressive international season, securing bronze in the women’s K1 500 after another closely contested battle with some of the world’s best paddlers. Drobot also combined with Kailey Harlen (NSWIS) to finish fifth in the women’s K2 500 final.

Jean van der Westhuyzen capped off another impressive regatta by winning bronze in the men’s K1 500, bringing his individual World Cup medal tally for the 2026 season to six after also claiming gold earlier in the campaign.

Paralympic silver medallist Dylan Littlehales (NSWIS) made his international return in Montreal, recording a fifth-place finish in the men’s KL3 200 final as he continues building towards the World Championships.

The Montreal regatta marked the final opportunity for Australia’s Canoe Sprint and Para Canoe athletes to fine-tune preparations before the 2026 ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships, to be held in Poznan, Poland from 26-30 August.

With 17 medals, including six gold, across the World Cup season, the Australian team will head into the year’s premier event with confidence as they continue building momentum on the road to LA 2028.

Australia’s medal winners

World Cup 1 (Hungary)

Gold

• Jean van der Westhuyzen – Men’s K1 500m
• Natalia Drobot – Women’s K1 500 (NSWIS)

Silver

• Jean van der Westhuyzen, Jackson Collins, Riley Fitzsimmons (NSWIS), Pierre van der Westhuyzen – Men’s K4 500m

Bronze

• Tom Green – Men’s K1 1000m

World Cup 2 (Germany)

Gold

• Curtis McGrath – Men’s KL2 200m
• Tom Green – Men’s K1 500m
• Ben Sainsbury – Men’s VL1 200m

Silver 

• Natalia Drobot, Kailey Harlen – Women’s K2 500m (NSWIS)
• Ella Beere – Women’s K1 1000m (NSWIS)

Bronze 

• Tom Green – Men’s K1 1000m
• Jean van der Westhuyzen, Pierre van der Westhuyzen – Men’s K2 500m
• Jean van der Westhuyzen, Pierre van der Westhuyzen, Tom Green, Jackson Collins – Men’s K4 500m

World Cup 3 (Canada)

Gold

• Ben Sainsbury – Men’s VL1 200

Silver

• Tom Green – Men’s K1 1000

Bronze

• Jean van der Westhuyzen – Men’s K1 500
• Natalia Drobot – Women’s K1 500 (NSWIS)
• Jean van der Westhuyzen, Pierre van der Westhuyzen, Tom Green and Noah Havard – Men’s K4 500