NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holder Jessica Fox and Vaclav Chaloupka of Czechia were crowned canoe slalom (C1) champions on the first day of racing at the 2025 Canoe Slalom AUS Open at Penrith Whitewater Stadium.

With the 2025 ICF Slalom World Championships to be held in Penrith in October, the AUS Open is the last chance for international athletes to have a taste of competition Down Under, with just over 220 days until the World Championships arrives.

In a women’s C1 field which featured the Paris Olympic gold and bronze medalists, it was an all-Australian podium with Olympic champion Jessica Fox (photographed below) winning gold, Kate Eckhardt winning silver and Olympic kayak cross gold medallist Noemie Fox rounding out the podium in third.

“It’s always nice to race at home, and to race with the girls and to stay home with a 1, 2, 3,” said Jessica. “A clean sweep – we’ve been training together for so long and racing together for so long an we don’t often get to do that together.

“So it’s very special to see them paddling so well – Kate put down such a great time in that final early on, and to see Noemie put down a solid run. I think that’s exciting, obviously with Worlds in October to see that we’re paddling well here.

Eckhardt said: “I’ve kind of struggled a little bit through the campaign to put together a run I was happy with, so I’m really happy to have finished the domestic racing on a really good run in C1.

Noemie Fox said she welcomed being on the podium for the C1 event.

“So good to be back here at the Australian Open and to be on the podium in C1,” she said. “It’s my first international medal and podium (in C1) for a long time.

“I prioritised my kayak cross all of last year and, so, it feels good to be doing the three categories again, and to be on the podium with my teammates Jess and Kate.”

Two other Aussies who also featured on the podium of the men’s C1 final (photographed below) were Paris Olympian Tristan Carter in second place and teammate Kaylen Bassett – a NSWIS athlete – taking out the bronze medal.

It was Vaclav Chaloupka of Czechia who recorded the fastest time of 90.31 seconds to win the gold.

“After the semifinal, I was a little bit behind and I wanted to step up and I did step up,” Carter said.

“I was really happy with my run, it wasn’t going all to plan, but I was really happy with the maturity and holding it together,” he said.

Bassett said the stress he endured to qualify for the finals was worthwhile.

“It was nice to cap off the end of the selection series with a good run – it’s always a stressful time and getting through to the finals and not only competing for the podium and the win but also nail that spot on the Australian team, especially with a home Worlds coming up this year,” Bassett said.

  • Racing returns to Penrith Whitewater Stadium for the kayak (K1) heats and finals, from 9:15am AEDT

Story: Paddle Australia Photos: JGRimages/Paddle Australia

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