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Noemie Fox claims first medal of the season at Penrith Open

Paddle Australia

Olympic gold medallist Noemie Fox started her 2026 canoe slalom season on song with an impressive silver medal in the women’s C1 final on day one of the 2026 Penrith Open.

“It’s our first race here since the world championships, and I’m really proud of the final run that I did. To finish on the podium, in a really stacked field, it feels good to get that racing in the bank,” said Fox, a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder.

Despite an interrupted week with a hand injury, Fox made a statement in the women’s C1 heats with a time of 102.27, over two seconds faster than her next competitor.

“To back it up with not much preparation but to focus on the mental skills and do a really good first qualification run that I’m very proud of. It’s a good start with Kayak tomorrow and Kayak Cross on Sunday,” she said.

Slovakia’s Zuzana Pankova won the women’s C1 event, despite a two-second penalty in her race.

“I couldn’t have started better. It’s a nice course, I love it here so I’m really happy. It’s a great feeling to paddle here. I don’t think there is a better place to paddle in the European winter,” Pankova said.

The women’s C1 World Champion, Klaudia Zwolinska (POL), was unable to replicate her win here from five months ago and placed ninth in today’s final.

In the men’s C1 event, 2025 World Championship bronze medalist Kaylen Bassett (NSWIS) just missed out on a podium spot, placing fourth overall. Vaclav Chaloupka (CZE) finished first with the fastest time of the day – 91.68.

Attention now turns to the men’s and women’s K1 events taking place at Penrith Whitewater Stadium tomorrow from 9:15am AEDT.

PENRITH OPEN DAY 1 RESULTS

Women’s C1

1st – Zuzana Pankova (SVK)

2nd – Noemie Fox (AUS)

3rd – Eva Alina Hocevar (SLO)

Men’s C1

1st – Vaclav Chaloupka (CZE)

2nd – Ziga Lin Hocevar (SLO)

3rd – Adam Kral (CZE)

For Penrith Open schedule and results, click here

Paddle Australia