Tauranga paddler Luuka Jones was 7.61 seconds behind the winner on the La Seu d'Urgell course. PHOTO: FILE
Tauranga paddler Luuka Jones was 7.61 seconds behind the winner on the La Seu d'Urgell course. PHOTO: FILE
Tauranga kayaker Luuka Jones has capped a solid World Cup season with yet another final, finishing seventh in the C1 at La Seu d'Urgell in Spain.
It was her third final C1 of the year, coming in the last World Cup event of the season.
Jones was remarkably consistent inher two runs, clocking 115.93 seconds in her semifinal to qualify seventh, with one penalty touch, then 115.98 seconds in her final, again with one touch.
She was 7.61 seconds behind the winner, local paddler Nuria Vilarrubla, who showed she is almost impossible to beat on her home waters by defending the title she won on the same course last year.
Australian Jess Fox picked up 4 seconds in penalties, which put her 2.52 seconds behind Vilarrubla, with Austria's Nadine Weratschnig third, but Fox comfortably wrapped up the overall World Cup crown.
Slovenia's Peter Kauzer posted one of the closest wins of the season in the men's K1, his time of 86.96 a mere 0.04 seconds ahead of France's Boris Neveu in the men's K1 at the La Seu d'Urgell course.
Czech Vit Prindis finished sixth in the final, enough to secure him the overall 2017 K1 title.