The victorious Fox sisters will have another chance to win additional gold medals in front of a large hometown audience later this year when the world championships take place in Penrith and are aired by Nine.
Nine will serve as the official broadcaster for this year’s ICF Slalom World Championships, where top canoe athletes from around the globe will compete at the Penrhys Whitewater Stadium in Penrith from September 29 to October 4.
The collaboration followed Australia’s celebration Olympic gold in the canoe slalom At the Paris 2024 Olympics, alongside her sister Jessica and Noemie Fox ruling the highest pedestal of the podium.
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After securing consecutive gold medals in the C1 and K1 canoe slalom competitions, Jessica claimed her title as the most victorious Olympic paddler ever, surpassing both men and women. This achievement was soon followed by her younger sibling Noemie claiming victory in the first-ever kayak cross final.
Speaking to Nine's Today Jess Fox mentioned it was "like a dream" to compete at her local venue in Western Sydney.
"It’s fantastic. We’re incredibly thrilled — just 200 days left until the world championships," she stated.
For us, competing locally is like a dream come true.
I've spent my upbringing out here. I recall the world championships held in 2005 around these parts. Now, two decades later, we have the opportunity to compete on our own turf, and we’re thrilled to greet everybody from down under as well as all visitors to Penrhys.
With pressure to perform on home waters, the elder Fox sister confessed that the chance to win gold at a home world championships would serve as a constant source of motivation for her racing and training.
"The Olympics is probably the most pressure I've ever felt, and I think every time you race at home, the home team has a bit of pressure [on them]," she said.
We'll have a great time; I can't wait to race.
There is hope that with the upcoming World Championships being aired live and for free on Channel 9 and 9Now at-home, more Australians will be motivated to participate in the sport.
"We observed significant progress following the event in Paris, with numerous individuals becoming increasingly intrigued by kayaking since they understand kayak cross and have grasped all the intricacies of canoe slalom," she explained.
It will be fantastic to introduce that in Penrith this year and ideally attract many more children to the sport. We’ll also have various activities lined up.
Nine's coverage will span over 30 hours throughout the six-day event, encompassing all the races such as the preliminaries, semifinals, and final rounds for every category along with their respective award ceremonies.
As the broadcasting partner for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Australia, the agreement among Nine Entertainment Co., Paddle Australia, and the International Canoe Federation aims to keep promoting canoe slalom and paddleboarding events featuring local athletes.
"We’re thrilled to host the ICF Slalom World Championships at the Wide World of Sports,” said Simon Fordham, Nine’s Wide World of Sports head of sports partnerships and strategy. “Jess and Noemie Fox won gold in Paris and have captivated the hearts of all Australians. Having these two lead this major event alongside the top kayakers from around the globe will make it an incredible experience for all sports enthusiasts.”
During NRL Grand Final Week, we'll provide 31 hours of ad-free and complimentary coverage of the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Acquiring this is thrilling for our platforms and marks one of the initial moves towards hosting the LA Olympics in 2028.
