WAIS Pair Selected for Australian Slalom Canoe Team

The second and third rounds of selection trials for the 2009 Australian Senior Canoe Slalom Team were staged at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium on the weekend of 7th and 8th March.

Saturday’s course was tough for all competitors and included a strong international field. WAIS athletes Robin Bell, Kynan Maley and Robin Jeffery all contested the Mens C1 event.

Robin Jeffery produced a 106.67 to be leading after the first run, with Robin Bell and Kynan Maley second and third respectively. Bell and Maley charged in their second run but were unable to beat Jeffery’s result.

In the third and final race of Senior selection, Robin Bell again produced a strong run to finish 1st and reinforce his place in the senior team. Jeffery and Maley battled through some bad water but weren’t able to challenge Bell finishing 4th and 6th respectively.

Beijing bronze Olympian, Robin Bell easily secured his selection with 21 year-old Robin Jeffery making his debut as a member of the Australian Canoe Slalom Team.

They will represent Australia in the three 2009 World Cup races in France, Slovakia and Germany in June and July and in the Canoe Slalom World Championship in Seu d’Urgeull, Spain, in September.