Reigning champions Charlotte Henshaw MBE, Laura Sugar MBE and Emma Wiggs MBE, as well as debutant Hope Gordon, all advanced straight to finals as paracanoe got underway in Paris.
Charlotte was the pick of the bunch at the Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium – cruising to victory in her heat in the women’s VL3, which is making its Paralympic debut in Paris, before a blistering display in the women’s KL2 where she won her race by almost ten seconds.
Laura Sugar meanwhile is only contesting the women’s KL3 but made smooth progress in her title defence, taking victory in a Paralympic Games Best of 48.14 seconds.
This was all after Emma Wiggs MBE had dominated her heat in the women’s VL2 before returning to finish second from her outing in the women’s KL2 and move into the semi-finals.
Like Charlotte and Emma, Hope Gordon – making her summer games debut – is also doubling up and joined the former in advancing straight to the final in the women’s VL3 as the fastest after a great heat, and then like the latter placing second in her race in the KL3.
All nine British athletes – the biggest team to travel to a Games in paracanoe across any nation – were in action with Jeanette Chippington OBE making her eighth Paralympic appearance, while Jack Eyers and Ed Clifton made their debuts.
Robert Oliver was back as he chases an upgrade on bronze from Tokyo while Dave Phillipson is after his first Paralympic success.
Charlotte Henshaw MBE set the tone for the British team, who claimed seven medals in Tokyo, and she said:
“I am pleased to get a good run under my belt.
“We prepared for a difficult morning backing up the kayak with the va’a in the space of 45 minutes. It is good to have put down a solid performance and one that I was pretty happy with. We build on it moving forwards.”
Charlotte’s day began with the women’s VL3, making its Paralympic debut on the schedule, where she established a healthy lead in heat one. China’s Zhong Yongyuan did make the Brit work though, cutting her lead to 0.34 at the line.
The heat in the women’s KL2 was a different story as Henshaw scorched to a time of 51 dead to win by 9.95 and finish quickest overall by 1.52. She added:
“You can feel as confident as you like but when you get to a Paralympic Games it is all to play for and everyone wants a bite of the medals and everyone on their day is capable of it.”
Emma Wiggs MBE opened up with the women’s VL2 and had a ten metre lead before halfway. She finished off the race to win in a time of 1:00.95 minutes. She then joined Charlotte in the KL2 and was just edged out into an automatic final place by Katalin Varga of Hungary.
Emma said:
“It was incredible to see our sport again showing the world what it’s got. I am really happy with my races. It’s not been an easy year in either boat but the va’a went really. I am really happy with my delivery and, in the kayak, that was everything I had. I nearly got it.
“It is a really opportunity and privilege to be racing in two boats. I am really proud to do that for the team and I hope I can keep the momentum going and deliver well.”
Charlotte was also joined in the VL3 by Hope Gordon, who was drawn in heat two. That race was tight through halfway before Hope, making her Summer Games debut after competing in para-nordic skiing at Beijing 2022, put a boat length on the field at halfway to win in 58.25.
Her second outing in the women’s KL3 had more drama to it as a false start was called. Half the field, including Hope Gordon, stopped while the other half completed the race.
The heat was rerun fully at the end of the schedule with Hope placing second behind French home hope Nelia Barbosa to move into the semi-finals.
She said:
“Other ParalympicsGB athletes have finished and we’re only getting the party started. I really wanted to get this competition going as best as possible and I think I did that in va’a.
“I’ve never had a false start before – that’s new, quite exciting. I probably could have done without if honest but it is what it is.
“Things like that happen and I feel like a dealt with it fine. It would have been nice to get straight through but I can’t complain.”
Laura Sugar’s heat in the women’s KL3 just moments before went off without a hitch. She led by half a boat length after ten seconds and completed the job on the sunny Parisian waters to advance straight to the final in a Paralympic Games Best of 48.14.
She said:
“We have waited so long to get started. There are a load of nerves on the first day of racing. You don’t know what the rest of the world is capable of and you have got to go out there and do your race plan, which I did.
“I see it as if I have got nothing to defend this year. I have not won the 2024 champs and everyone else has got as much right as me on that start-line.
“I have a lot of respect for my competitors, there are some fast girls in there, we’ve all beaten each other the last two years.”
Meanwhile Jeanette Chippington OBE, who like Charlotte Henshaw MBE, Emma Wiggs MBE and Hope Gordon, is doubling up but also competing at her eighth Paralympic Games, placed second in the second heat of the women’s VL2 before returning just over an hour later for the women’s KL1 where she placed fourth. She moved on to the semi-finals on both occasions.
She said:
“My first race was really, really good. I was quite close to going straight through to the final, which would have mucked up my plans a bit. It is just a heat so some people might have been holding back a bit – I have just got to go for it in the semi-final and hopefully make the final and give it everything.
“We raced on this course last year and it is exactly the same – a crosswind from the right, I was in the outer lane and my boat [kayak] was slide slipping a little bit. It was a heat so I’ll get back out and adjust the rudder and try and get the boat running a bit straighter.”
Robert Oliver finished off the first half of the morning session in the heats of the men’s KL3 in what was one of a number of tight races involving the British men.
Rob started strong and took the lead but was in a clear three way battle with Spain’s Juan Antonio Valle Gallardo and Edmond Sanka of Senegal.
As the finish line drew close it was between Oliver and Valle Gallardo for that coveted progression straight to the final, with the pair seemingly crossing at the same time.
The results showed Valle Gallardo had edged it by 0.01 with Rob, who clocked 42.35, moving into the semi-finals.
Rob, who claimed Paralympic bronze in Tokyo after a photo finish, said:
“I followed all my processes, did exactly what I wanted to do and delivered the race I wanted. The times are a bit slow – there’s a little bit of a headwind.
“We’ve been at a training camp in Hungary and the times have been sub-40 so when you hit a 42 those extra two seconds are hard work.
“Hopefully the conditions favour me [in the semi-final] and I do the exact same thing. If I run that race – and there isn’t a head wind – I’d be confident I can win the whole lot.
“That’s how happy I am – I wouldn’t change a thing from that.”
While Hope’s rerun meant she was the last to compete on the first day, Jack Eyers was the last to make an appearance. He crowned his Paralympic debut with a solid third-place finish in the first of the two men’s VL3 heats, clocking 50.24 with the semi-finals next.
He said:
“It was about blowing out the cobwebs and becoming a Paralympian. I’ve ticked that box and I am really happy. It has been an eight-year journey for me, stepping into paracanoe.
“I narrowly missed out on Tokyo and to be here really is a dream come true. Now it is about getting myself back into a place that I know I can do. I think I have got the potential and minerals to be top of the podium.
“I’ve bought my National Lottery ticket and I’m here for the jackpot.”
Ed Clifton also completed his Paralympic paracanoe debut in Paris, taking to the water in the men’s VL2. Brazil’s Fernando Rufino de Paulo took the lead in his heat but Clifton stuck to the task to comfortably take second in 56.30.
Ed said:
“It went to plan, it was what we practised. We didn’t come out to win the first one.
“I put down a solid run with more to come while still being close enough to the other guys. I feel like we have got a bit more to give.
“It is great having the experience in the team and the advice, it really helps, and there is a really good mix in the team.
“Now I’ve got one down, I feel a bit more relaxed and know where I am and hopefully I can get into the final.”
Dave Phillipson’s heat in the men’s KL2 was similar to Oliver’s with four athletes in a line through the early stages – and the Brit also leading.
It stayed too close to call for much of the race with New Zealand’s Scott Martlew pushing ahead in the final metres for the win and Phillipson having to settle for third.
His time of 43.90 ranked him fourth overall and the five-time Paralympian said:
“It’s always tight between our category now. It wasn’t the race I wanted. I probably put a bit too much pressure on myself. I’m into the semi-final so have to go again.
“I didn’t really know [I was in the lead]. I knew my competitors were right next to me. I felt like I got a good start but probably settled a bit too early and didn’t keep pushing.
“Getting the first one out of the way is always good. Hopefully I’ll be a bit more relaxed in the semi-final.”
Saturday 7 September
Semi Finals
09:14 – Men’s Kayak KL2 Semi-finals Dave Phillipson
09:28 – Women’s Va’a VL2 Semi-final Jeanette Chippington OBE
09:42 – Men’s Kayak KL3 Semi-final Robert Oliver
Finals
10:28 – Men’s Kayak KL2 B Final (Dave Phillipson)
10:36 – Men’s Kayak KL2 A Final (Dave Phillipson)
10:44 – Women’s Va’a VL2 B Final (Jeanette Chippington OBE)
10:52 – Women’s Va’a VL2 A Final Emma Wiggs MBE and (Jeanette Chippington OBE)
11:10 – Men’s Kayak KL3 A Final (Robert Oliver)
11:36 – Women’s Va’a VL3 A Final Charlotte Henshaw MBE and Hope Gordon
You will be able to watch the action at Holme Pierrepont Country Park on a big screen, on 7 and 8 September.
There will also be the Sprint Regatta event on the Regatta Lake and a large screen broadcasting live coverage of the Paracanoe finals.
Live coverage of the Paralympic Games will be available across Channel 4, More4, Channel 4 streaming and social channels, with over 1300 hours of coverage on Channel 4 Sport’s YouTube channel.