Canada wins two gold and a silver at world canoe and kayak championships - August 20th, 2010

Van Koeverden qualifies for K-1 500 final

POZNAN, Poland – Christine Gauthier of Pointe-Claire, Que., and Christine Selinger of Regina each won a gold medal on Friday in the Para canoe events at the world canoe and kayak championships. Selinger added a silver as well. These are the first worlds that races for athletes with a disability are official events.

Meanwhile three-time Olympic medallist Adam Van Koeverden of Oakville, Ont., was among three Canadian boats to advance to the finals in the 500-metre events.  Also advancing were Mark Oldershaw of Burlington, Ont., in the C-1 (canoe singles)  500 and Thomas Hall of Pointe-Claire and Ben Russell of Dartmouth, N.S., in the C-2 500.

Van Koeverden won his opening heat in the K-1 (kayak singles) 500 as well as his semifinal clocking the second fastest time overall behind Ken Wallace of Australia.  It was fine return for Van Koeverden who didn’t reach the K-1 1,000 final in Thursday’s semis which were marred by high winds.

“Adam had great races today,” said CanoeKayak sprint high performance director Graham Barton.  “He showed what a great competitor he is.  He really wanted to make up for yesterday.  His ability to refocus is of the things that make him such a great athlete.”

Oldershaw earned a berth in the second solo final placing second in his semifinal heat with the fourth fastest time overall.  He also advanced to the C-1 1,000 final on Thursday.

Hall, the Olympic bronze medallist in the C-1 1,000 in Beijing, and Russell combined forces with the fourth fastest time overall by placing second in their heat. 

“We only had three weeks preparation together so to reach the final is quite an achievement for us,” said Hall.  “I think we could have beaten the Ukranians in our semifinal.  Our last 100-metres was not very good and that’s what cost us.”

In the Para canoe finals, Gauthier won the K-1 LTA (disability in legs, trunk and arms) race in 53.190 with Marta Santos of Brazil second in 1:04.334 and Giovanna Chiriu of Italy third in 1:04.436.

“My race unfolded as planned,” said Gauthier, who also won gold at last year’s worlds in Halifax where the races for athletes with a disability were demonstration events.  “I feel fortunate to arrive at time when the sport has opened its doors to us for competition. I only started three years ago and stuck with it because I enjoyed it.”

Selinger took the open K-1 event winning the race by less than half a second over Tami Hetke of the U.S.,  Selinger added a silver in the K-1  TA (trunks and arms disability) as well.

Tony Flores of St. Albert, Alta., was sixth in the men’s K-1 TA.

Competition continues Saturday with the 1,000 finals and heats and semis in the 200.

Full results at: http://kayak2010.com/regatta/index.htm

More news and profiles at: www.canoekayak.ca

On-site contact: Lorraine Lafrenière, CanoeKayak Canada, cell: (613) 769-6772

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