Ben Fouhy in action yesterday. Photo / Getty Images
Ben Fouhy is safely through to the semifinals of the K1 1000m race, but that's about all that can be said after he turned in a "pretty average" performance in yesterday's heats.
Fouhy, the world champion in 2003 and Athens silver medallist, crossed in third place in 3m
33.037s to advance to tomorrow's semifinals comfortably enough. The winner, Canadian hot shot Adam van Koeverden, set a blistering pace and won easily in 3:29.622 to move directly into Friday's final.
With the second to seventh placegetters making the semis, Fouhy was never in difficulty but he's unhappy with what he produced on the Shunyi course yesterday.
"It's just felt like I have in every race for the last year and a half," he said. "What I've been able to express in training is above what I was doing at the last Olympics but I'm struggling to find energy."
He's at a loss to explain his dilemma.
"I felt heavy and tired, not strong at all. I guess I'm through to the semifinals and it keeps me in the game, but it's certainly not a reflection of the work I've put in."
It has been a difficult last couple of seasons for Fouhy, who has changed his coaching regime, looked to do things on his own at times, although with input from Olympic champions Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald.
His problem seems to be locating the key to unlock the door to his best form.
Having van Koeverden, the 26-year-old Olympic and world K1 500m champion and bronze medallist in the longer distance at Athens, didn't help. He set a flying pace and only Croat Stjepan Janic, who finished second could stay the distance.
The other two heats were won by Athens gold medallist Eirik Veraas Larsen of Norway in a smart 3:29.043, and Britain's Tim Brabants in the quickest time of the three heats, 3:27.828.
The first three in tomorrow's semifinals will go into the final.
In the K2 1000m heats, Steven Ferguson and Mike Walker had a tight duel with the Italians for the third and final direct entry to the final, just being pipped at the line. They crossed in 3:19.167, .27s behind the Italians. Hungary won in 3:17.636 from Poland.
