|
Six U.S. boats qualify at Worlds
By Luke Dieker // USA Canoe-Kayak // September 30, 2005
Competition finally began Friday at the 2005 ICF Slalom World Championships in Penrith, Australia. Thursday’s qualifying heats for women’s kayaks and men’s canoes were moved to Friday, so today presented a packed schedule of world-class competition. The US Team has been in Australia training on the course for a couple of weeks, so they were eager to get underway.
Brett Heyl (Bethesda, Md.) wasted no time showing he is one of the top slalom paddlers at the World Championships, qualifying in the 7th spot in the men’s kayak class. Heyl’s time included a two-second penalty for a touching a gate, and left him just over five seconds off the blistering top time set by Campbell Walsh of Great Britain. Scott Parsons (Bethesda, Md.) also had a solid set of qualifying runs, and he would up in 19th. Scott Mann (Bryson City, N.C) rounded out the men’s kayak field for the US as he finished 27th.
In the men’s canoe class, Austin Crane (Marietta, Ga.) led the way for the US, qualifying in the 18th spot. Jeff Larimer (Marietta, Ga.) finished 33rd, and sixteen-year-old Benn Fraker (Peachtree City, Ga.) was 41st. With the top 40 advancing to the semi-final, Fraker came one spot short of qualifying.
Jamie Tidmore (Bryson City, N.C.), the lone female US slalom competitor in Sydney, had a good day as well, finishing 35th and also qualifying for the semi-final.
Racing continues on Saturday with semi-finals and finals in the men’s canoe class and the women’s kayak class.
|
