Paris Olympic gold medalist Jessica Fox OAM has taken out the coveted ‘Paddler of the Year’ crown at 75th annual Paddle Australia Annual Awards on the Gold Coast.
Australia’s elite paddlers achieved their best ever Olympic & Paralympic Games campaign, with an impressive four gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
For Fox, she not only managed to deliver an impressive two gold medals in the women’s C1 and K1 at the Paris Games, making Olympic history, she also carried the pride of the nation as the flag bearer for Australia at the opening ceremony.
But it wasn’t just her Olympic medals that made her a worthy recipient, breaking records before shed arrived at the Paris Games, becoming the first athlete to win 50 ICF World Cup gold medals and the first athlete to win three gold medals at a single ICG World Cup.
Paralympic gold medallist from Paris 2024, Curtis McGrath won Paralympic Paddler of the Year, with team of the year award to the Paris 2024 silver medal winning K4 Men’s Sprint team of Riley Fitzsimmons, Jackson Collins, Noah Harvard and Pierre van der Westhuyzen. Fitzsimmons also took out the Paddler of the Year, Canoe Sprint crown.
The awards were part of Paddle Australia’s night of nights that saw members and supporters of the entire paddling community come together to celebrate the great achievements across volunteering, coaching, events as well as results from community and elite athletes.
PADDLE AUSTRALIA AWARD WINNERS
2024 Overall Paddler of the Year – Jessica Fox (Paddler of the Year Canoe Slalom)
Team of the Year – Canoe Sprint Men’s K2 silver medalist Paris 2024 Riley Fitzsimmons, Jackson Collins, Noah Harvard and Pierre van der Westhuyzen
Paddler of the Year – Paracanoe, Curtis McGrath
Paddler of the Year – Canoe Sprint, Riley Fitzsimmons
Paddler of the Year – Master & Wildwater Canoeing, Matthew Dalziel
Paddler of the Year – Junior, Codie Davidson
Paddler of the Year – Canoe Marathon, Rebecca Mann
Paddler of the Year – Canoe Ocean Racing, Corey Hill & Jemma Smith (joint winner)
Paddler of the Year – Canoe Ocean Polo, Abbey Steel
Paddler of the Year – Canoe Freestyle, Jack Newland
Paddler of the Year – Stand Up Paddling, Michael Booth
Coach of the Year – Myriam Fox
Excellence Award – Alyce Wood & David Foureur
President’s Award – John Young
Award of Merit
Noemie Fox – Canoe Slalom
Dylan Littlehales – Para Canoe
Tom Green & Jean van der Westhuyzen – Men’s K2
Susan Seipel – Para Canoe
Anna Wood – Coach
Titouan Dupras – Coach
Jimmy Owens – Coach
2024 Asia Pacific Sprint Cup – Ian Hume, Tracey Tapscott, Laura White, Mark Bulmer, Paul Branson
Paddle Queensland Canoe Polo
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