A world-class field, including four of the five top finishers in the men’s K1 at last year’s Rio Olympics, will compete in this weekend’s Australian Canoe Slalom Open in Penrith, Sydney.

The Rio Olympic silver and bronze medallists and the current World Champion highlight a quality women’s K1, and the Olympic silver medallist and a two-time World Champion will set the scene for a hard-fought men’s C1.

The women’s C1, set to make its Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2020, will be headed by local paddler and three-time world champion, Jessica Fox.

Organisers are thrilled with the quality and depth in the fields for the Australian Open, which includes men’s K1 Olympic gold medallist, Great Britain’s Joe Clarke, bronze medallist and reigning world champion, the Czech Republic’s Jiri Prskavec, and Germany’s Hannes Aigner, who finished fourth in Rio.

Australia’s charge in the men’s K1 will be led by Rio Olympian, Lucien Delfour.

The women’s K1 will include a re-match between the Rio silver and bronze medallists, New Zealand’s Luuka Jones and Australia’s Fox.

Also in the field is current K1 world champion, Katerina Kudejova, of the Czech Republic, who finished 10th in the Olympic final.

The men’s C1 will be headed by Rio silver medallist, Slovakia’s Matej Benus, and 2013/2015 C1 world champion, Britain’s David Florence. Australia’s challenge will include Rio Olympian, Ian Borrows.

Fox, who will this year attempt to win her fourth consecutive C1 World Championship title, will start a warm favourite in the women’s C1.

Canoe Slalom
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