Kayak Cross, Slalom, Women

Kayak cross was making it Olympic début. Sometimes called kayak slalom extreme, the event consists of head-to-head races between two or more canoeists over a whitewater course. The favorites were Australia’s Jess Fox and Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods. Woods was the 2023 World Champion, while Fox had won that title in 2021 and 2022 and had already won both the kayak singles and Canadian singles in Paris 2024 when this event started.

Fox was second in the time trial, qualifying behind France’s Camille Prigent, silver medalist at the 2023 World Championships, but Fox would fail to get past the second round, finishing last in her heat and eventually only 26th overall. Any disappointment Fox had would be assuaged as she watched her sister, Noemie Fox, qualify eighth, but then win her heat in every round, taking the gold medal relatively easily. This was Noemie’s first Olympic appearance and the only event she competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her only previous medals at the Worlds and Junior Worlds had been in team events.

The final consisted of Noemie Fox, Woods, France’s Angèle Hug, and German Elena Lilik. Hug, also making her Olympic début, held on for the silver medal, with Woods taking bronze. This was Woods second medal at Paris 2024, as she had also won bronze in the kayak singles.