Canoe Slalom: Olympian Jones digs deep to take K1W

Ella Nicholas came within 1.02 seconds of beating Olympic rival Luuka Jones in the K1W. Photo/Rob Sperling

Less than two seconds has separated first and second in all three major classes at the weekend's North Island Champs on the Tarawera River, Kawerau.

Olympian Luuka Jones was the fastest of the K1W clocking 100.11, plus a two-second penalty, and finished just 1.02 seconds ahead of Tauranga's Cook Islands representative Ella Nicholas.

Haylee Dangen, also of Tauranga and having her first season out of the junior ranks, rounded out the top three on 111.38 points, claiming the under-23 title ahead of under-23 teammate and Nicholas sibling, Jane.

Jones made it a double win by blitzing the field in the developing C1W (canoe) class by 11.32 seconds.

Dangen finished second in what will be an Olympic class in 2020, with Kelly Travers of Palmerston North third.

Jones, who has just returned to NZ from an international training camp in Dubai, has a few more weeks at home before joining her coach for the European summer season.

Massey University vet student Malcolm Gibson upset the seedings to win the men's K1 (kayak), finishing just 0.14 seconds ahead of under-18 paddler Callum Gilbert of Tauranga, who last month won the Oceania under-18 title and posted a career best at the International Canoe Federation ranking race in Sydney.

Jacob Reyland, another of Tauranga's promising juniors, rounded out the top three just 1.67 seconds from the winner, with Jack Dangen's fifth placing good enough to claim overall honours in the under-16 division.

In the C1M, top seed Ben Gibb continued his good form and added another title to his recent under-23 Oceania win.

Patrick Washer of Tauranga was just 1.54 seconds behind Gibb and the top junior, while Tomasz McDowell (Nelson) rounded out the top three.

Gibb, who lives between Tauranga and Rotorua enabling him to train on the white water on the Kaituna, will lead the C1 charge for New Zealand at the under-23 world championships, while Washer will paddle for the junior national team at the same event.

As expected, the New Zealand junior C2 (double canoe) crew of Dan Munro and Luke Robinson, from Tauranga, took the North Island title unchallenged in their class. Canoe Slalom New Zealand head coach and Baytrust Coachforce officer, Aaron Osborne, said the close racing reflects all the hard work the athletes have done over the summer in preparation for the junior and under-23 world champs in Sydney in April.

Before they cross the ditch to take on the world, members of the national team will contest the secondary schools and open nationals later this month.