CANOE/KAYAK: Australia’s best young sprint paddlers will race against more than 1000 competitors from 62 countries at the ICF Junior and U23 World Championships in Portugal.
Racing will get underway on Thursday from 6pm AEST in Montemor-o-Velho and continue till Sunday.
Australia will field a team of 31 athletes, comprising of a mixture of debutants to paddlers with senior experience. The men’s and women’s under-23 team boats look particularly strong.
Some of the Australian athletes will be competing at the senior World Championships in August and have aspirations for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Queensland pairing Alyce Burnett and Alyssa Bull will be ones to watch in the K2 500.
The women combined to win the open national title earlier in the year, and were recently announced as the pairing to compete at the senior World Championships in August.
Earlier in the year Burnett and Bull got to experience the course first hand, finishing 11th at the first World Cup in the same event.
“As cliché as it sounds I think we are quite perfect for each other and I can't wait to see what we can do in this crew over these next two championships and into the future,” Burnett said.
“We are very similar athletes mentally and physically, come from the same sporting background and have grown up in the same place.”
Similarly, Riley Fitzsimmons and Jordan Wood will compete in Milan but first they will team up in the K2 1000, as well as combining with Joel McKitterick and Jy Duffy in the K4 1000.
Last year the men’s K4 crew finished sixth in the A final. This year Fitzsimmons believes a gold medal is a realistic goal.
“I don't feel like it's being cocky or like it’s an unrealistic goal saying that. Both boats have potential to go the distance and we train day in and day out for it,” Fitzsimmons said.
“In saying that I'd be really happy with a top six finish.”
Wood is also confident of a strong performance.
“I am feeling good going into under-23 worlds and pretty confident in the work we have done as a team,” Wood said.
Sunshine Coast kayaker Bill Bain will contest the K1 1000.
The 21 year old won bronze at the 2013 under-23 World Championships and will be looking to improve on that result in Portugal.
In the men’s 200 metre events Rob McIntyre will race the K1, while Ben McLean and Callum Dunn will team up in the K2.
Unfortunately for McLean and Dunn they have had to overcome a flu since arriving in Europe but are feeling good in the boat together and are hoping to get close to the 31 second benchmark.
“Looking at last year’s times and results amongst the field we are confident that making the A Final,” McLean said.
“It is a realistic goal for us if we give 110% and put our best race forward in both the heats and semi-finals. Then on top of that we are obviously aiming to go better than the 32.7 we posted the other day, and do another personal best; hoping to get as close as we can to the infamous 31 second benchmark.”
Joining Burnett and Bull in the under-23 women’s events will be Brianna Massie and Catherine McArthur in the K1 200 and K1 500 events respectively.
They will also join Victorian Rebecca Mann and Western Australian Shannon Reynolds in the K4 500 boat.
The highlight for last year’s juniors was bronze to the men’s K4 1000 final.
This year the boat features four new members; Joshua Jones-Rew, Sam Hutchinson, Connor Buhk and Reece Bacchus.
They have been busy training in Montebelo Aguieira leading into worlds and will make their debut in Portugal.
Western Australian duo Luke Morton and Ben Harris will race the K2 1000.
“We are feeling fast on the water and making the WAIS squad has helped us a lot to find that next level,” Harris said.
Victorian Oliver James dominated the domestic series earlier in the year by winning eight national U18 titles.
The 17 year old will race as a bottom age junior in the K1 200 and K1 1000 events.
He plans to use the event to gain experience leading into next year.
“This season has mostly been a learning experience in preparation for next year when I will be top age and have a better shot at the podium,” James said.
“This year I am just excited to go fast against the best junior racers in the world.”
Onkaparinga paddler Francesca Kidd and Ella Beere of Avoca will lead in the junior women into battle.
They will line up in the K1 500 and K1 200 events respectively,
Kidd will also double up in the K4 500 alongside Yale Steinepreis, Ruby Backen and Rachel Duncan.
“For both of my races I am aiming for a placement in the A finals and hopefully some good personal bests. I know this will be a tough goal to achieve but i feel as if I have put enough preparation to make it,” Kidd said.
Keily Dober and Caitlin Burt-Polai will contest the K2 500.
Three canoeists will also feature in Portugal.
Charles Ellis will contest the C1 1000 and C1 200, while Jace Bayliss and Benjamin Keogh will race the C2 1000.
Racing will commence from 6pm AEST (9am local time). Please follow the links below for more information including live streaming of the event.
Australian Canoeing
