Promising start for Canada at canoe and kayak World Cup - May 28th, 2010

SZEGED, Hungary – Adam van Koeverden of Oakville, Ont., Angus Mortimer of Ottawa Thomas Hall of Pointe-Claire, Que., Mark Oldershaw of Burlington, Ont., Kristin Gauthier of Ottawa and Émilie Fournel of Montreal all qualified for two finals apiece on Friday to open the second stop on the World Cup canoe and kayak circuit.

Van Koeverden, a three-time Olympic medallist, placed first in his two heats and two semis  on the day to gain a berth in both the K-1 500 and K-1 1,000 metre finals as he looks to at least duplicate his double medal performance from the season opening World Cup in Vichy, France earlier this month.

Mortimer will join van Koeverden in both finals after winning his 500 heat and semi and placing first and second in his heat and semi respectively in the 1,000.

‘’It’s the first time we’ll have two Canadians in a World Cup K-1 final since I’ve been paddling so that’s pretty cool,’’ said van Koeverden. ‘’At this World Cup I’m looking to be sharper in the 500 and have a real solid last 200 metres in the 1,000 tomorrow (Saturday).’’

Mortimer is hoping he can provide Canada with a solid 1-2 punch in the K-1’s this season.

‘’I hadn’t raced the K-1 1,000 internationally for a couple of years,’’ said Mortimer, a triple medallist at the 2007 Pan Am Games.  ‘’But I went in confident after some strong training and winning the race at trials at couple of weeks ago.  I would love to be up there on the podium with Adam tomorrow.’’

Hall and Oldershaw both qualified for the C-1 500 and C-1 1,000 finals.  Hall, the Olympic bronze medallist in the 1,000 in 2008, was second in his opening 1,000 heat and then beat his national rival head-on to win one of the semifinals with Oldershaw placing third.

Oldershaw won both his opening and semifinal heats in the 500 while Hall also reached the final placing second his opening heat and third in his semi.

‘’I’m really happy to get through to the finals in both events,’’ said Oldershaw, fourth in the C-1 1,000 at the world championships last year in Halifax.  ‘’It was a long day but I felt I was getting better and better with each race.  It was also good to go head-to-head with Thomas and tomorrow I’m hoping to be closer.’’

Gauthier and Fournel combined forces to reach the women’s K-2 500 final and joined Mylanie Barré of Lac-Beauport, Que., and Genevieve Orton of Lake Echo, N.S., to make the final in the K-4 500.

Also reaching finals on Friday were Andrew Russell  of Dartmouth, N.S., and Gabriel Beauchesne-Sévigny of Trois-Rivieres, Que., in the C-2 1,000 and Jillian D’Alessio of Middle Sackville, N.S., and Kathleen Fraser of Mississauga, Ont., in the women’s K-2 1,000.

Advancing to B finals were Richard Dalton of Halifax and Benjamin Russell of Dartmouth in the C-2 1,000; Richard Dober Jr., of Trois-Rivieres, Que., and Steve Jorens of Candiac, Que., in the K-2 1,000; Connor Taras of Waverley, N.S., Brady Reardon of Burlington, Ont., Christopher Mehak of Toronto and Rhys Hill of Ottawa in the K-4 1,000; Reardon and Hill in the K-2 500 and D’Alessio and Una Lounder of Dartmouth in the women’s K-2 500.

Competition continues Saturday featuring the 1,000 metre finals.

Full results at: http://results.mkksz.hu/en/timetable/

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3793&id=100001104375963&l=cc62d673c0

More information: www.canoekayak.ca

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