Fox wins bronze as World Cup 2 comes to a close

New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete Jessica Fox has won her first Kayak Cross medal of the 2025 international season, with bronze in the individual kayak cross event.

For the first time this season, medals are awarded to the fastest finishers in the kayak cross time trials, as well as the place getters in the kayak cross finals.

Fox recorded a time of 58.68 seconds, earning her the bronze medal, with Olympic champion, and sister, Noemie Fox (NSWIS) only 0.2 seconds behind that in fifth place, and just outside of the podium finishers.

“It’s fantastic to win the bronze today in the time trial – it’s a new format…normally we don’t get medals for the time trial but this year we do,” said Fox.

“It gives you a little bit more incentive to go hard, and try and hit that top spot, whereas normally we’re just racing to make the top 32 and be seeded for the brackets.

“It was tight, Noemie raced so well as well, she was 0.2 off the podium (in the time trial) so it’s a tight field and I was really pleased to step up onto that third step today.”

The bronze medal rounds out another encouraging weekend of results for Fox, on the road to the home World Championships in Penrith in just over 100 days time.

“I had a great race in the Canoe, winning a second World Cup gold in two weekends is fantastic and I’m really pleased with that race,” Fox said.

“It was a tough course, it’s always really challenging here, and I felt like I conquered the rapids yesterday. It was a really nice feeling to lift my game and put down such a good run.

“Obviously disappointed with the kayak to not make the final, it’s such a tight field so one small mistake or a touch and you can be out, which is what happened to me.

“But bouncing back, I’m really proud of my effort in the canoe,” she said. The Kayak Cross brings to a close the 2025 ICF Slalom World Cup 2 in Pau, with the Australian team to remain in Europe for the 2025 ICF Slalom World Cup 3 in Prague, Czechia from 26-29 June.”

Story, Paddle Australia

Photos: Romain Bruneau/Paddle Australia