Olympic champion Nicolas Gestin (FRA) was crowned C1 world champion at the ICF Slalom World Championships 2025, delivering a commanding performance in Thursday’s final.

Already a triple world champion in the canoe team event, Gestin claimed his first individual world title in the C1, adding to the gold he secured on Wednesday as a member of the victorious French team.

After setting the fastest time in the semi-finals, Gestin had the advantage of running last in the final. Wearing the number one bib, he navigated the course with precision and composure to seal the win.

“Starting last doesn’t bother me. I’ve had that spot quite a few times at the Games,” Gestin said. 

“I’d start last because I won the semi-final. In the end, for me, the more pressure the context puts on me, the more it fires me up. That’s how I see it, and honestly, I kind of like it,” he said.

Silver went to Ryan Westley (GBR), while Kaylen Bassett (AUS) produced the run of his life to take bronze which was the host country’s first medal of these World Championships.

Ranked eighth after the semis, Bassett thrilled the home crowd at Penrith’s Whitewater Stadium with a showstopping run. Battling fierce winds that wreaked havoc on the field, he drew on local knowledge to deliver a flawless performance, edged only by Gestin and Westley.

Before today’s breakthrough, Bassett’s best result at a senior world championship was 39th.

“I'm shocked. I don't believe it, still,” Basssett said.

“I feel like I’m still waiting for someone else to come down the course, to be honest, but I think it's going to hit me very, very soon.

“I've had a really good season so far. I've made three out of four finals at the World Cups that I was racing at, but racing in the finals had kind of been this next step that I was trying to overcome and to do it here in front of a home crowd, home course, friends, family, it couldn't have come at a better time and this is a day I've got to remember for sure.”

Competition continues Friday with the men's and women's kayak (K1) finals with action getting underway from 10:30am AEST. 

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

What the medalists said: 

Nicolas GESTIN - Gold

ENGLISH :

“I know how difficult it is to perform consistently. Today in particular, with the wind and the conditions, I was really 100% focused. But of course, for me, stacking up titles, strong performances, and World Cup wins this season has allowed me to arrive with full confidence. I know that in a one-day race like today, I can really let loose.”

“Starting last doesn’t bother me. I’ve had that spot quite a few times at the Games—I’d start last because I won the semi-final. In the end, for me, the more pressure the context puts on me, the more it fires me up. That’s how I see it—and honestly, I kind of like it.”

“I didn’t have the info on the paddlers just before me, because I couldn’t hear anything on the mic, but I did know that Ryan Westley, who went at the beginning of the final, clocked a 98 and improved on his semi-final time. That was useful info—I knew I had to let loose.”

“I think the Olympic title gave me a sense of lightness. When you can take risks in the boat and it doesn’t impact your socio-professional life—which, in paddle, is always a bit unstable—it’s a lot easier. In any case, my career is a success, even more so now with a world champion title. But for sure, there's more ease, and I think that's necessary in a sport like slalom, where taking risks is constant.”

“At first, I almost thought the competition would be canceled, because there was so much wind. But in the end, on the course, the gates weren’t moving that much. I was lucky compared to some of my teammates—it worked out well for me. I took it as a reminder to adapt, to stay present in the moment.”

“Now, we’re going to celebrate, even if my two teammates from the French team missed their runs, and it’s going to be a bit less fun. Still, we’re going to try to enjoy it, cheer on the rest of the team too—they’ve got some great medals to go after. After the championships, I still have four days here, so I might try to get out for a bit of surfing if I can.”

FRENCH

“Je connais la difficulté de performer régulièrement. Là, notamment aujourd'hui avec le vent, les conditions, j'étais vraiment vigilant à 100%. Mais c'est sûr que, quand même, pour moi, cumuler des titres, des bonnes prestations, des victoires en coupe du Monde aussi cette saison, ça me permet d'arriver en pleine confiance. Je sais que sur une course d'un jour comme aujourd'hui, je peux lâcher les chevaux.”

“Partir en dernier ne me dérange pas, je l'ai eu pas mal de fois cette place aux jeux, je partais en dernier parce que j'avais remporté la demie,” 

“Finalement, pour moi, plus il y a d'éléments de contexte qui peuvent me mettre la pression, plus ça m'anime. C''est comme ça que je le prends et limite, j'aime bien ça, moi.”

“J'avais pas eu l'info de ceux juste devant moi, parce que j'entendais pas au micro, mais j'ai juste su que Ryan Westley, qui est parti au début de la finale, avait fait 98, et avait amélioré son temps des demies. C'est une bonne info a avoir, je savais qu'il fallait lâcher les chevaux.”

“Je pense que le titre olympique m'a apporté plus de légèreté. Quand on peut prendre des risques dans le bateau et que ça ne se répercute pas sur notre vie socio-professionnelle de kayakiste qui est toujours un peu précaire, c'est plus facile. Ma carrière dans tous les cas elle est réussie, encore plus maintenant avec un titre de champion du monde. Mais c'est sûr qu'il y a plus de légèreté, et je pense qu'il y en a besoin dans un sport comme le salam où la prise de risque est permanente.”

“Au début, je pensais presque que la compétition allait être annulée, parce qu'il y avait beaucoup de vent. Mais finalement, sur le bassin, les portes ne bougeaient pas tant que ça. J'ai eu de la chance par rapport à d'autres collègues, je m'en sors bien. Je l'ai pris comme il faut s'adapter, continuer d'être dans l'instant présent.”

“Maintenant, on va célébrer, même si mes deux collègues de l'équipe de France sont passés à côté de leur compétition, et que ça va être un peu moins fun. Et puis, on va essayer de profiter, encourager le reste de l'équipe aussi qui a des belles médailles à aller chercher.”

“Après les championnats j'ai encore 4 jours ici, je vais essayer d'aller surfer peut-être un petit coup si je peux.”

Ryan Westley - silver

“It was painful at the end to just miss out on the title. I've had the privilege of standing on the top step of the European Championships and hearing the national anthem and that does just feel that extra bit special. But if you'd have given me this (silver medal) this morning, I'd have bitten your hand and your arm and everything else off to get it.

“I've been struggling here, I find the course here really tough to paddle on. I find it really hard to get the run of the boat. But I think the course set suited me quite well this time. 

“I've always done well in finals, it feels like all the pressure's off, it's just all fun from that point on. Everything to gain, nothing to lose. I don't think it's really sunk in yet. There is disappointment for not quite winning, which is crazy because I would have taken a final. I'm sure it will all kind of sink in the days to come.

“When you're sitting in top spot with one person left to go and it's Nicolas Gestin, you know you're probably not going to be in a good position. 

“But I was really, really happy with my run. Most of my runs here I've really enjoyed, which has been nice, because I've struggled with this course. But I think I managed to learn a lot from watching other people and me and my coach Campbell Walsh always do a good job of learning from the semi-final into the final and you know, showing that again.” 

Kaylen Bassett – bronze

On winning a World Championship medal:

I'm shocked. I don't believe it, still. I feel like I’m still waiting for someone else to come down the course, to be honest, but I think it's going to hit me very, very soon.

On belief to win a medal at home:

I've had a really good season so far. I've made three out of four finals at the World Cups that I was racing at, but racing in the finals had kind of been this next step that I was trying to overcome and to do it here in front of a home crowd, home course, friends, family, it couldn't have come at a better time and this is a day I've got to remember for sure.

On the first medal for the Australia at these championships:

It's really special and for us, I think this might be the first medal that we've had in the (men’s C1) World Championship since Robin Bell. I can't think of a better 20-year anniversary for the C1 program. It's a program that I'm proud to be a part of. I've got an amazing group of boys that I train with every single day, and I think this medal is for all of us.