Finals Beijing K1M and C1M
Australian Canoeing
Richard Fox, Friday, 17 August 2007
Anthony Brown qualified for the final and finished ninth at the Good Luck Beijing Olympic Test Event.
Anthony Brown’s result today at the Shunyi Olympic rowing and canoeing centre was the first top ten performance by an Australian in the K1 class at a major competition in two years and a promising sign a month out from the world championships and the Olympic Qualification event.
Brown was fourth of the fifteen qualifiers to start in the semi final posting a clean run score of 99.05 seconds. When the last man down the course, Erik Pfanmoller of Germany, missed gate five on the first attempt the door to the final opened for the Australian and Brown held on to the precious tenth position and a finals berth.
The French dominated the semi final with world champion, Julien Billaut, and newcomer, Pierre Bourliaud in the top two positions with scores of 93.01 and 93.33 seconds respectively.
In the final, Anthony Brown improved his run through the difficult middle section and cleaned the course but struggled towards the end finishing with a total time of 199.29 seconds.
Scott Parsons of the USA moved from eighth to third with a trademark second run charge finishing with 189.72 seconds. Fabien Dorfler of Germany also climbed through the ranks from fifth to second with a total of 188.92.
Both men were finally pipped by Billaut who just held on to his lead to win in 188.02 seconds.
Brown was pleased with his effort but acknowledged he had made mistakes “I was too straight on the second big drop and did not get the kick I needed to push me into the upstream gate. On the second run I got caught in the stopper coming out of the last upstream and that cost me time. Otherwise, I am pretty pleased with the runs and the trip here has been reallyworthwhile”, he added.
In the men’s C1 competition, Nico Bettge of Germany triumphed over Michal Martikan of Slovakia. Bettge posted two clean runs to win in 199.47 seconds, the Slovakian’s four second penalty count costing him the win as he finished with a total of 200.07. Jan Benzien of Germany was third, 2.21 seconds back.
The competition ran smoothly and efficiently with the Chinese race organisers getting the thumbs up from the teams. While most competitors admitted there was room for improvement in their own performances on the challenging water, there was consensus that the Beijing Olympic course was exciting and fun to race on.
Tomorrow, the men’s C2 and women’s K1 classes take to the water with Mark Bellofiore, Lachlan Milne, Kate Lawrence and Louise Natoli representing Australia.
Beijing Test Event Publicity
In the finals of the men's K-1 event of the 2007 Canoe/Kayak Slalom Open held at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park this afternoon, Julien Billaut of France beat a strong field to win the gold with 188.02 seconds. After the race, Julien Billaut said that winning the gold medal from such a tough competition meant a great deal to him. "The race was very hard," he said. "I'm very excited about winning the gold. I'll go and comfort my teammate Tony Estanguet, who was just now upset in the canoeing semifinals."
The racing course at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park are regarded by all paddlers as highly difficult with its challenging rapids, waves, eddies and currents. As Julien Billaut put it, "Of course, the conditions of the course is the same to everyone. We came here for training one week ago, each session lasting two hours every day. I think what we have achieved today is definitely inseparable from the painstaking efforts we have made."
Richard Fox, Friday, 17 August 2007
Anthony Brown qualified for the final and finished ninth at the Good Luck Beijing Olympic Test Event.
Anthony Brown’s result today at the Shunyi Olympic rowing and canoeing centre was the first top ten performance by an Australian in the K1 class at a major competition in two years and a promising sign a month out from the world championships and the Olympic Qualification event.
Brown was fourth of the fifteen qualifiers to start in the semi final posting a clean run score of 99.05 seconds. When the last man down the course, Erik Pfanmoller of Germany, missed gate five on the first attempt the door to the final opened for the Australian and Brown held on to the precious tenth position and a finals berth.
The French dominated the semi final with world champion, Julien Billaut, and newcomer, Pierre Bourliaud in the top two positions with scores of 93.01 and 93.33 seconds respectively.
In the final, Anthony Brown improved his run through the difficult middle section and cleaned the course but struggled towards the end finishing with a total time of 199.29 seconds.
Scott Parsons of the USA moved from eighth to third with a trademark second run charge finishing with 189.72 seconds. Fabien Dorfler of Germany also climbed through the ranks from fifth to second with a total of 188.92.
Both men were finally pipped by Billaut who just held on to his lead to win in 188.02 seconds.
Brown was pleased with his effort but acknowledged he had made mistakes “I was too straight on the second big drop and did not get the kick I needed to push me into the upstream gate. On the second run I got caught in the stopper coming out of the last upstream and that cost me time. Otherwise, I am pretty pleased with the runs and the trip here has been reallyworthwhile”, he added.
In the men’s C1 competition, Nico Bettge of Germany triumphed over Michal Martikan of Slovakia. Bettge posted two clean runs to win in 199.47 seconds, the Slovakian’s four second penalty count costing him the win as he finished with a total of 200.07. Jan Benzien of Germany was third, 2.21 seconds back.
The competition ran smoothly and efficiently with the Chinese race organisers getting the thumbs up from the teams. While most competitors admitted there was room for improvement in their own performances on the challenging water, there was consensus that the Beijing Olympic course was exciting and fun to race on.
Tomorrow, the men’s C2 and women’s K1 classes take to the water with Mark Bellofiore, Lachlan Milne, Kate Lawrence and Louise Natoli representing Australia.
Beijing Test Event Publicity
In the finals of the men's K-1 event of the 2007 Canoe/Kayak Slalom Open held at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park this afternoon, Julien Billaut of France beat a strong field to win the gold with 188.02 seconds. After the race, Julien Billaut said that winning the gold medal from such a tough competition meant a great deal to him. "The race was very hard," he said. "I'm very excited about winning the gold. I'll go and comfort my teammate Tony Estanguet, who was just now upset in the canoeing semifinals."
The racing course at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park are regarded by all paddlers as highly difficult with its challenging rapids, waves, eddies and currents. As Julien Billaut put it, "Of course, the conditions of the course is the same to everyone. We came here for training one week ago, each session lasting two hours every day. I think what we have achieved today is definitely inseparable from the painstaking efforts we have made."
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