CANOE/KAYAK: Australia has signaled it is a strong chance to defend the men’s K4 1000 Olympic gold medal it won in London, after beating a world class field at a World Cup event in Duisburg, Germany, overnight. 

It was a new-look combination for Australia, with only Jacob Clear from the London crew in the boat, but it boasted the experience of two-time Olympian and 2008 gold medallist, Ken Wallace, in the front position. 

World U23 K2 1000 champions, Riley Fitzsimmons and Jordan Wood, filled the remaining positions in the boat. 

Wallace said it was an incredible result for such a new combination. 

“That’s a great start to the season, it’s our first race together, I think it’s about our fifth time in a boat together, so to start off like that, I’m looking forward to the year to come,” Wallace said. 

“It’s a new combination. The first world cup is always hard. We knew our tactics, I think we stuck to them and probably exceeded them. We were all a bit nervous before the race.” 

The gold medal provides a headache for selectors, who have London crew member Murray Stewart available to join the team later this year, but Clear said it’s a good problem to have. 

“At the moment we’re going with this crew, next week we could have a new combination, it’s up to our coaches.” Clear said. 

Earlier 2012 Olympian Naomi Flood, who will be nominated to join the Olympic team later this week, finished ninth in the final of the women’s K1 500. She finished ahead of Jo Brigden-Jones in the 'race-off' for the K1 spot at Rio 2016.

In other events at the World Cup Alyssa Bull and Alyce Burnett were 3rd in the K2 500 B Final and Daniel Bowker did a personal best and was third in the K1 1000m B Final.

Australian Canoeing