Rotorua teenager River Mutton has picked up New Zealand's first individual medal at the 2018 World Junior Canoe Slalom Championships, snaring bronze in the extreme slalom final in Italy.
The 16-year-old overcame disappointment in her under-18 K1 semifinal earlier in the day, on Saturday night New Zealand time, to bounce back, finishing second in her extreme quarter and semifinals and then holding on for third in the four-boat final, behind Czech paddler Katerina Bekova and Alix Degremont, of France.
"I was super-happy with third - it was a pretty tough final and we all got a bit tangled up off the start. I got spun out of the down-gate on the drop and missed it and ended up being in the eddy for a while trying to find a way back down it. I ended up miles behind the others but one girl had some trouble with the same down-gate too and couldn't get round it," River said.
It was the first New Zealand medal at the joint under-18 and under-23 championships since twin success in Penrith in 2014; Daniel Munro and Luke Robinson won silver in the under-18 men's C2, while Jane Nicholas, Haylee Dangen and Kelly Travers won bronze in the under-23 women's C1 teams race.
Earlier, Mutton finished 25th in her K1 semifinal after missing Gate eight and picking up a 50 second penalty.
