Canoe team taking shape

NSWIS paddler Jessica Fox tightened her grip on the Australian Olympic team’s lone female canoe slalom spot with a solid performance at the Australian Open over the weekend, the first of two selection events.

Fox finished with silver in the women’s K1 with a time of 111.40 seconds, but was the first Australian after Violetta Oblinger-Peters from Austria finished with gold. Fellow NSWIS athlete Kate Lawrence was fifth overall in 114.78, but second on the Australian list to keep the pressure on Fox.

Fox then showed her dominance in the women’s C1 event, a non-Olympic event, by taking gold with an 18 second buffer over her nearest competitor. NSWIS athlete Ros Lawrence finished with bronze.

The final Olympic selection event is the 2012 Oceania Championships, taking place from February 24th-26th at the Penrith Whitewater Centre.