CANOE/KAYAK - SLALOM: Australia’s Jessica Fox begins the defence of her C1 World Championship title at Deep Creek in the United States on Thursday, but she has her eyes on a much bigger prize.

20-year-old Fox wants to return to the top of the K1, the event in which she won silver at the London Olympics, but in which she failed to make last year’s World Championship final.

Her dominance of the C1 event is unquestioned, although she was beaten in two of the four World Cup events in Europe this year.

Only a handful of the top paddlers contest both the women’s C1 and K1, and Fox is determined to prove she can do both. No woman has ever won both titles at a senior World Championship level.

Fox came up short at the Prague World Championships 12 months ago, where she easily won her first C1 world title, but then sensationally failed to make the K1 final the following day.

But she made amends at the U23 World Championships this year, winning both titles in convincing style.

Adding to the intrigue this year will be the unusual Deep Creek course.

“It’s quite hard to describe,” Fox said this week.

“It’s an interesting course, the features are quite inconsistent, there’s lots of boily water, but also some really fast sections as well.

“I’m sure whatever the course is it will make for a great competition. It doesn’t feel like an artificial course to me, but I’ve got used to it and I’m enjoying it.”

Fox’s biggest challenge in the C1 could come from fellow Australian paddler Ros Lawrence, who won a World Cup race in Prague, and also picked up minor podium finishes at two other events.

Like Fox, Lawrence will also contest the K1.

It's the first time the World Championships have been contested in USA for 25 years, and a rare foray outside of Europe for the event. The last occasion was Brazil, in 2007.

Racing begins at Deep Creek on Thursday night, AEST, with finals this weekend.

Ross Solly for Canoeing Australia