Canoe Slalom world championship 2025 day two upsets as Aussie canoe team just miss medal

They have trained and raced against each other for years and for a few minutes on Tuesday this group of Aussie paddlers looked to have won a historic medal together at the world canoe slalom title

Amanda Lulham

4 min read

September 30, 2025 - 4:46PM

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Noemie Fox racing in the heats of the canoe slalom on day two of the ICF Canoe Slalom world championships at Penrith. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

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They have trained and raced against each other for years and for a few magic minutes on Tuesday this tight-knit group of Australian paddlers looked like they might have pulled off the biggest upset of the world canoe slalom championships at Penrith.

Tristan Carter, Kaylen Bassett and Ben Ross had the self belief they had what it takes to win Australia’s first ever men’s canoe medal at Penrith on Tuesday even if they were considered rank outsiders by others pre race.

And the trio came within a whisper of doing so, sitting in a gold, then silver and finally bronze medal position for around 10 minutes before being relegated back to fourth by the final and winning run of the day.

“It’s heart breaking,’’ Bassett said after the French (99.97) won the canoe teams event from Great Britain (+0.79) and Slovenia (+0.89).

The Australians, finished just 1.32 seconds off the pace in fourth after the French laid down their winning time in the final run of the day.

“It was just so nerve racking,’’ Ross said of the wait to hear if they had win a medal or not.

“There were so many strong canoe team out there, the French, the GB’s and the Slovenians,

Despite being devastated at being off the podium, the trio said the close call has given them confidence for upcoming events at the championships where Australia is still searching for its first medal.

Doriane Delassus of France competes in the canoe slalom heats. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

There was hope, even with Jessica Fox absent due to a recent surgery, that it might have come in the women’s team canoe event but that wasn’t to be.

With Noemei Fox leading from the front, a series of mistakes behind her sealed the fate of the Australians who finished last in ninth place and shattered.

Fox and teammates Kate Eckhardt and Georgie O’Callaghan were visibly upset after the racing.

“In out sport there is always water that pushes you out of the way or mistakes that happen and it’s important to support each other,’’ said Fox, who won gold on debut at the Paris Olympics in the kayak cross - the event she will race on Saturday.

“It’s our home world championships and we have lots of friends and family here so its means a lot that we put our best out there,’’ Eckhardt said.

“With Jess not being able to race we had out hearts on the line and were just pushing to our limit and that doesn't always work out to plan and that’s really tough.

“It’s the nature of the sport, its cutthroat and there is no room or error.

“We just have to learn to deal with this and move on.’’

AUSSIES MIXED RESULTS IN CANOE HEATS

Superstitions are rife in water sports and on Tuesday it was one of the unluckiest numbers involved in the undoing of one of Australia’s top canoe paddlers.

Tasmanian Eckhardt entered the canoe heats with big aspirations but exited without a spot in the semis.

The physiotherapist who is based near the Penrith whitewater centre came unstuck on gate 13 in her run on Tuesday afternoon.

Forced to carry a crippling 50 second penalty, Eckhardt’s bid to be in the semi-final mix ended with only the top 30 going through and the Sydney based Tasmanian finishing a shock 46th.

While Noemie Fox glided into the semis in seventh, youngster O’Callaghan also missed the cut with her 38th placing.

Noemie Fox in the canoe heats in Penrith. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“It was tough, it was great. I felt really good in the warm up and just enjoyed it. I wanted to put down a top 30 qualifying run,’’ Fox said.

“It was quite nerve-racking. I watched a few of the girls. I watched Kate (Eckhardt) and it’s always heartbreaking to see mistakes like that [a missed gate] happen.’’

In contrast to the women’s event, Australian paddlers came out hard and strong in the canoe heats on Tuesday with the entire men’s team making it into the semi-finals.

Kaylen Bassett made the most of his home waters with an impressive eighth place in the canoe heats on Tuesday morning.

“This was the day I was most nervous about. I just wanted to get through to that semi-final so I can be working towards that medal performance hopefully on Thursday,’’ Bassett said.

“So kind of glad to get that one out of the way.”

Tristan Carter was equally impressive in ninth with their teammate Ben Ross also one of the paddlers to qualify for the teams event with his 24th placing.

“Three from three – me, Ben and Kaylen, we’re all through, we’re all up there, and that’s an amazing start,’’ Carter said. “We’re happy as a group.’’

Only the top 30 finishers contest semi finals which will used to qualify the 12 men to fight for the medals in the final on Thursday.

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

9:10am Women’s Kayak Heats

10:55am Men’s Kayak Heats

2:25pm Women’s Kayak Teams Final

3pm Men’s Kayak Teams Final

4pm Women’s Kayak Teams Medal Ceremony

4pm Men’s Kayak Teams Medal Ceremony

PADDLE AUSTRALIA TEAM FOR WORLD CANOE SLALOM

Tim Anderson (NSW) – Men’s Kayak, Men’s Kayak Cross

Kaylen Bassett (NSW) – Men’s Canoe