Jessica Fox flew through the water at the national canoeing championships in Tasmania last week, taking out the C1 slalom title, but she couldn’t repeat her sizzling form in the K1 final, having to settle for second place.
Her sister, Noemie, snatched third in the K1 after just missing out on a medal in the C1.
Jessica, a former Blaxland High School student, recorded a time of 83.47 seconds in the heats of the women’s K1 event on the Mersey River, which was five seconds faster than the second-placed competitor, Rosalyn Lawrence.
But Lawrence, from northern NSW, turned the tables in the final, edging out Jessica by 2.34 seconds.
The result will put pressure on Fox at next month’s Olympic selection trials in Penrith.
Fox, who rows with Penrith Valley Canoe Club, put on a strong display in the C1 final, despite a two second penalty for a gate touch.
“I didn’t have a good race in the C1 last year so it was good to come back this year and put together a good C1 run in the final,” Fox said.
Fox recently returned to Australia after spending some time in Brazil training on the 2016 Olympic course.
“It has been a couple of months since we have had a race so obviously after Christmas and New Years it is good to get back on the water, have a good race and a good hit out,” she said.
The Rio selection trials will be held at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium from February 5.
