Olympic gold medallist Ken Wallace will aim to secure his place on the 2009 Australian flatwater kayaking team this week at the Australian Canoe Kayak Sprint Championships in Perth.

Wallace, who propelled himself to the top of the sport in Beijing after winning the gold medal in the men’s K1 500m and bronze in the men’s K1 1000m, has already begun preparing for the next Olympic cycle with the 2009 world title his immediate goal should he secure his place on the team.

He has already guaranteed his selection on the Australian team for the world cup tour, and by winning the K1 events this week can also secure his World Championship place.

Youngster Murray Stewart upset Wallace at the recent GP2 event at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, but faces an uphill battle to dethrone the Olympic champion from his K1 position for the 2009 World Championships in Dartmouth, Canada (August 12-16).

Wallace says he is enjoying the challenge put forward by Stewart.

“It’s great to see that we have people like Murray coming through the system,” Wallace said.

“By having such a strong level of competition it is only going to make everyone improve and that can only be good for kayaking in Australia.

“There are four or five guys that will be pushing for medals this week though. Jacob Clear will be up there and he has been moving the boat really well.”

Lyndsie Fogarty, Lisa Russ and Hannah Davis, members of the Australian women’s K4 500m bronze medal crew in Beijing, are all contesting selection again in 2009 and like Wallace, can guarantee automatic selection to the World Cup team, subject to the selection criteria, as a result of their Olympic medal performance.

Jo Brigden-Jones and Alana Nicholls will battle it out to join the Olympic medallists in the K4 crew.

Both have been impressive in their performances throughout the early part of the season.

The Australian flatwater team will include 10 male kayaker, 8 female kayakers and 2 canoeists for the world cup tour, before a final team is named for the World Championships at the conclusion of World Cup 3.

Racing at Champion Lakes in Perth commences on Wednesday at 10.15am local time with the heats of the men’s K1 500m.

Australian Canoeing