Canoe Slalom World Championships. London. 2015. Day 1. 

Not only are the World Championship crowns up for grabs this weekend, competing slalom athletes will be looking to secure their nations 2016 Olympic Games quota slot, by finishing as a top 16 nation within each competing class.  Before the Championship accolades and Olympic Quotas are handed out though, athletes have to progress through to the Finals, which we will be held on Saturday and Sunday.  Today saw the first qualification runs, as the C2M and K1W classes took on arguably the hardest artificial whitewater course in the World. The course set, was some what of a gentle introduction for the competitors to the Championships, no doubt the course will increase in difficulty heading into the Semi/Final rounds. Focussing on British interest, we happily saw the crews of Florence/Hounslow and Stott/Proctor progress through to the Semi-Final from their first run. We had to wait for the second runs to see Pitt/Burgess book their place with the other British crews. 

   Peak UK team members Skantar/Skantar also had no trouble qualifying in the first run. 

  In the K1W class, Fiona Pennie and Lizzie Neave let their experience shine through, securing Semi-Final spots at the first time of asking. Kim Woods gave the rain soaked fans something to cheer about, a storming second run meant Kim joins Fiona and Lizzie on the Semi-Final line up. Peak UK team member Emilie Fer, replicated her 2012 Olympic Gold medal winning form, heading up the results list winning qualifying.  

 

  

  

 Tomorrow we’ll see the C1M and C1W classes start their World Championship campaigns. We’ll be hoping for the same British results and better weather!!