Teenage sensation Jessica Fox and former national team member Matthew Gabb have taken massive strides towards Olympic qualification with their performances at the Australian Slalom Open at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium on Saturday.
Teenage sensation Jessica Fox and former national team member Matthew Gabb have taken massive strides towards Olympic qualification with their performances at the Australian Slalom Open at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium on Saturday.
Fox claimed second place in the Women's K1 final, while Gabb was the best of the Aussie men in a highly competitive C1 class, to give them pole position in the Olympic qualification battle.
With performances in three events over the course of February counting towards Olympic selection, they now have a lead on their rivals.
All they need is to be the best Australian in the heats at the Oceania Open later this month, to be then nominated for the Olympic team.
Fox had been leading in the Women's K1 final with a blistering clean run of 111.40s, only to be pipped at the end by Austrian Violetta Oblinga-Peters by 0.31s.
Elena Kaliska of Slovakia claimed bronze in the event with 112.80s.
Lawrence also had a clean run of 114.78, to finish 3.69 behind Oblinger-Peters.
"In my final I made a mistake which I thought might cost me, so I charged the rest of the course and it turned out that I had a good time and really good finish so I was really happy with that," Fox said.
"I want to keep my feet on the ground. There is still work to do (to gain Olympic qualification) and anything can happen."
Kate Lawrence felt that despite Fox's "win" in the Australian battle, it was still an open race for the Olympic position.
"There are still two more races, the Oceania will count as two races, so I know there is still a chance. I will just have to stay focused and be ready in a few weeks time," she said.
Gabb drew first blood in the battle for Olympic qualification in the Men's C1 with the best ranking in the semi-final.
Despite finishing 11th and failing to make the final in a tough European-laden field, Gabb was the best of the Aussies, and pipped Christian Fabris (Victoria), Ian Borrows (NSW) and Kynan Maley (WA).
AAP