The ICF Slalom World Championships 2025 launched in spectacular fashion in Penrith on Monday, as athletes battled it out in the Kayak Cross Individual Time Trial, marking the first time medals have been awarded in this event at a World Championships.

Swiss dual Olympian Alena Marx dominated the women’s event finishing a second ahead of the field, with Slovenia’s Ajda Novak in second and Ana Satila from Brazil finishing third. 

With a top five finish, Australia’s Olympic gold medalist Noemie Fox positioned herself strongly for Saturday’s heats.

Fox said the result today was bittersweet.

"I’m so close to the podium, it’s quite hard to stomach but it’s a strong start and leaves me hungry for more," she said.

"I felt really calm and prepared and that’s the mindset. It’s frustrating to see how close I was," she said.

Competition continues Tuesday with the Canoe Heats & Canoe Teams events getting underway, with all the action beginning at 10am.

The ICF Slalom World Championships are live and free on 9Now.

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What the medalists said: 

Alena Marx – Switzerland – Gold

On winning gold: 

“It’s the best start in the world championships. I'm so happy about it.

“It was the goal to come out and finish on top, but honestly it really surprised me.

“I was really surprised everything worked out well.”

‍On Penrith: 

“It’s amazing here, the course is so nice, it’s super hard, so much to learn and it was stressful in the preparations for the race.

“It’s super cool to be here, the atmosphere is nice, it’s just really nice. It’s a good feeling.

“I think I need some time to take it all in. It means just so much to win it here at the world championships and I think it gives me much more confidence.

“I think I will just try to enjoy every race and take in the atmosphere and just try to enjoy it and race as good as I can for the rest of the week.”

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Ajda Novak – Slovenia - Silver

“I'm really excited. I did not expect that, especially after the run. I really didn't think that would be enough. There's so many good girls and I just couldn't believe it. When time went on and I was still on top, my heart started racing so strongly. I was so happy.”

“The course is really tricky and it was hard to put down a run like we knew we could. But it was like that for everyone, so we still managed to put down really good runs and it turned out to be enough today. This is my favourite venue, so I'm really happy.

“I'll try to take the confidence with me through to my K1 on Wednesday.

“This is a really nice moment to share with my boyfriend, who is also my coach, who is here with me, and I'm sure my parents are following the race from home. Whenever I come out of the water there is already a message from my dad waiting for me. I'm sure they're really, really happy. They support me a lot”

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Ana Satila – Brazil – Bronze

“I came here many times before. I won the junior World championships in 2014, so this place means a lot to me. I love the course, I love the environment, and I think the organisation is amazing.

“Starting the championships with a bronze medal is amazing. When I finished my race, there were still so many girls to go. I couldn’t imagine I would win a medal. In the end, it was just enough to get the bronze.

“I’m even happier because it was really hard for me at the beginning of the season. I had to give up on the first three races. I wasn't sure when I could come back. I had a really bad time at home training alone, because everybody else was racing. I tried to stay positive all the way. It wasn't easy but I'm so happy to finish with a medal here, at the most important competition of the season, it's like a dream to me.

“When I will be back home, I will need to get another surgery, because I still have a kidney stone. When you have health problems, you start to worry and think too much about them. But I take Jess (Fox) as an example. She just had serious health problems but she’s remained positive. That is what I do now, I just focus on the event, I try to do my best, and I try not to think about the bad things.

“Now let’s celebrate and then focus on the next event. We will have a long week to come, I need to keep some energy, to keep my positive mindset, and to keep focusing.