Robin Bell Wins Gold at World Cup 3

AIS/WAIS paddler Robin Bell has stepped up preparations for the Beijing Olympics with a gold medal in the C1 at World Cup three in Augsburg, Germany.

The win caps a successful World Cup series for Bell who also captured a silver in World Cup one.

Bell led into the final by over a second and a half and negotiated the course with supreme confidence to record a combined time of 203.67 He finished over two seconds clear of Tomas Indruch (CZE), while Krzysztof Bieryt (POL) won the bronze medal.

After the race Bell said it was great to break through for his first World Cup victory.

“It’s been such a long time coming and I have been close on so many occasions”, Bell said. “It’s great to win one and walking away from the World Cup season with two medals is a good result heading into Beijing.”

“The idea of these three World Cups was to get some good race practice ahead of the Olympics and getting the win is a bonus.”

The result confirms Bell’s status as a genuine challenger for an Olympic medal in four weeks time. Bell, who finished fourth in 2004, will now be one of the favourites along with two time Olympic champion Tony Estanguet (FRA) and current World Champion and 1996 Olympic Champion, Michal Martikan (SVK).