Seven-time C1 World Cup champion Jessica Fox has narrowly missed out on a record-extending World Cup Series title, finishing second overall by just two points after a dramatic women’s C1 final in La Seu, Spain. 

Fox, a New South Wales Institute of Sport NSWIS) scholarship holder needed a top-six finish in the women’s C1 final to claim the overall Series crown, but a costly error at gate 15 saw her capsize and finish seventh in the final.

Eva Alina Hocevar (SLO) took the women’s C1 World Cup title, despite missing the final, with 234 points. Fox finished only two points behind for second with 232 points. Tereza Kneblova (CZE) rounded out the podium with 223 points in third.

“It was pretty challenging out there today. I started really well in the heats and then to qualify for the final was tough because it was a very tight semi final,” Fox said.  “In the final, [canoe] slalom is a sport of centimetres and unfortunately I was just a bit off line and that meant I made a big mistake. I turned upside down, said hello to the fish, struggled to find my paddle to roll and lost a lot of time there.”

Despite not being on the podium for today’s final, it was another terrific World Cup Series C1 campaign for Fox where she won two women’s C1 gold medals in Prague and Augsburg. 

“I’m proud to have fought to the finish line, and unfortunately not on the podium for the C1 event, but I’m on the podium for the overall which is great, she said. “I’m really proud to finish on that note and be so close with Eva Alina (Hocevar) who takes the win with just two points so it was a very tight finish.” 

Paris 2024 Olympian Tristan Carter finished the season with an incredible run in the men’s C1 final. Going down early in the final, Carter finished his rapid run in the lead. It took the final paddler and winner Miquel Trave (ESP) to knock Carter off the podium into 4th place – his best result of the 2026 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Series. 

The final day of racing begins tonight from 6:00pm AEST with Kayak Cross events, from Round 1 through to Heats and Finals. 

Click here for the schedule and results. Watch live racing on the Planet Worldwide Youtube Channel.

Paddle Australia

Photos: Roman Bruneau

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