Robin Bell from Swan Wins World Championship

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Swan Canoe Club life member Robin Bell secured gold in the Men's C1 final at the international Canoe Slalom World Championships ending a day of intense competition after a flawless final run at Penrith. After a disappointing Olympic campaign, he said he knew it was time to step up in the C1. 

In Saturday's final competition Tony Estanguet [FRA], who started in the middle of the final field, set the benchmark early with a clean and unhurried run.

Bell was the only competitor able to better his time after putting in an inspired run, the determination evident on his face as he powered over the finish.

Bell took the lead by the thinnest of margins [0.21 seconds] with three-time Olympic medallist and defending World Champion Michal Martikan unable to post a faster run and eventually placing third.

"I had a break (after Athens) and came back wanting to push myself harder, to win medals not just for me, but for Australia," he said after his final run.

"I've known I can match it with those guys for ages. It's just a matter of pulling it off on the day."

Bell's awesome time was followed by a dozen Australian fans jumping into the water. "All my friends started jumping in the river and that's when I realised I'd won."

Australia's National Performance Director Richard Fox said ÒitÕs a credit to his individual talent and ability.  If we can produce a world champion we can now build new champions.Ó

Bell was not the only Australian in the final, with 24-year-old Kynan Maley coming in at 7th place, 6.58 seconds behind Bell.
Maley was happy overall with his efforts in the Championships.

Kynan is also a Swan member, and a shoulder injury has keep him out of training and competition for most of this season.

 
The men's C1 team of Bell, Maley and Matt Gabb (NSW) were beaten into third by just 0.68 seconds by a Czech team.

The C1 team were far from disappointed with the result with Kynan Maley saying: "We'll be happy being that close to these guys at the moment, its a great result. I'm pretty sure it's the best teams result Australia's had in C1, since before I started paddling anyway."

Robin and Kynan did all their junior paddling from Swan but had to move east to train at the elite level after they left school.  Both return regularly to WA and call in to the Club to renew friendships and coach our next crop of slalom juniors.  When we achieve a white water park in Perth we can expect many more WA slalom champions.

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