Jess Fox ready to take on the world in Penrith

Six months after her triumphs at the Paris Olympic Games, NSW Institute of Sport scholarship athlete Jessica Fox claimed the Oceania K1 title at her home course, Penrith Whitewater Stadium.

Fox was impressive in a strong field which included athletes from the northern hemisphere. They travelled to Australia as part of their preparations for the 2025 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships which will be staged at Penrith in October.

She qualified fastest for the C1 final and appeared to be on track to emulate her Olympic performance in Paris and winning the gold medals for both events. However, her clipping the 12^th gate proved costly . . . the two second penalty Fox incurred relegated her to second place behind Evy Leibfarth of the USA.

“It was good to be out there, to be back on the start line at the start of the year, and feel good,” said Fox. “I wasn’t really sure how I was going to feel, but I attacked it and I’m proud of myself so far this weekend.

“It’s always a great time of year having international athletes come out and do their winter preparations here.

“With the world championships here in October, we’re seeing more athletes come out, so it’s awesome to be sharing the start line with them, training sessions, and being back altogether.

“It feels like it was a long time ago since the last international race, so I’m loving it.”

Olympic champion, Noemie Fox was bestowed the Oceania champion’s title despite narrowly missing out on qualifying for the final of the adrenaline-charged Kayak cross.

The NSWIS scholarship athlete made it to the semis but missed out on competing for a medal when she was eliminated after finishing third in what she described as a world class field.

“It was a very stacked kayak cross field – we had Olympic champions, world champion, European champion, lots of World Cup winners,” said Fox, who along with other Australian athletes who won their first Olympic gold medal received an OAM in the Australia Day honours.

“So, in the female field it was so stacked and it’s incredible to have them all here training and to go up against them.

“Disappointed to be knocked out in the semis and I felt like I couldn’t do anything [differently] so there’s lots to build and learn from.

“But it feels like a real privilege to have such high-level competition at home.”

Fellow NSWIS athlete, Lucien Delfour, a two-time Olympian, took the bronze medal in the men’s K1 event.

Daniel Lane, NSWIS

Photos: JGRImages/Paddle Australia