All the Canadian paddlers advanced through heats on the first day of the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships at the Bell Aliant Racing Centre on Lake Banook.
In Thursday morning action, Genevieve Orton of Dartmouth finished third in the K-4 500 metres along with teammates Emilie Fournel, Kristin Gauthier and Mylanie Barre. The team advances straight to the final on Saturday morning.
“We had a great start like we usually do. We nailed that again,” Orton said. “I think we can get a better pace throughout the race and obviously step it up a bit at the finish. Someone told me we were getting caught at the end, so that can’t happen again.”
Olympic Kayak Champion Adam Van Koeverden and Olympic Canoeist Mark Oldershaw were both double winners in yesterday’s heats. Van Koeverden took his heat in K1 1000 metre and K1 500 metre while Oldershaw also paddled to victory in his C1 in the same distances.
Karen Furneaux of Waverley had a strong showing in the K1 500 metre. Furneaux came in second in her heat and will race the semi-final today. Furneaux is the only Canadian team member who also competed at Canoe ‘97.
Furneaux medaled at Canoe ‘97 and has a chance of winning another World medal in front of a home crowd if she advances to the final on Saturday.
Andrew Russell of Dartmouth, and partner Gabriel Beauchesne-Sevigney advanced to semi finals in C2 1000 and 500 metre with fourth and third place finishes. Canada’s men’s K4 finished third in their heat and will race the semi-final tomorrow. Una Lounder of Dartmouth and Kia Byers placed fifth in K2 500 metre and Tamlyn Bohm also placed fifth in her K1 1000 metre heat.
