Above the round up video that was shown at the closing ceremony.

John Gregory | @gregiej | Sportscene - Julia Child said it was butter that made French cooking different. How else can we explain France topping the medal table with a clean sweep of the K1M podium, overall best federation plus Team gold in K1M, K1W and C2? Need I go on?

Well yes, there is more. Jessica Fox (AUS) wins the K1W title 25 years after her mother Myriam Jerusalmi (FRA) won the Savage ’89 K1L title. Then there’s Fabien Lefevre (USA) winning C1M gold for USA, albeit, 11 years after he won the K1M titles for France in 2002 & 2003. In fact, a little bird tells me six of the K1M finalist were born in France.

Coincidence or not? Actually not. In one of my earlier articles I cited that France had more athletes in the ICF top 100 ranking in every canoe slalom class. That’s strategy.

A second historic headline was the USA winning the C1M in style. Joe Jacobi, President of USA Canoe-Kayak explains: “For the past 25 years, Jon Lugbill's race at the 1989 World Championships was the indelible image of the sport in our country. Fabien's C1 run in the final gives the United States a new image and standard to move our program forward. Our team's outstanding performance at Worlds and the 2014 season raises our standard, engages our young development athletes and times out perfectly with the start of construction on our world class whitewater center in Oklahoma City. We're very pleased with the trajectory of our program.”  

I had the privilege of writing The Ultimate Run – 25 years on in the Deek Creep Worlds official program part of which was posted on Sportscene in May. It would have been an incredible ending to have anticipated Richard & Myriam’s daughter, Jess, winning in Garrett County 25 years later. I am struck by the poignancy of this fairy-tale ending to the story and one that came true in such grand fashion.

Just one year after David Florence (GBR) became the first paddler to be World Champion at the same time in two classes since 1953, Jess Fox does the same in C1W & K1W at Deep Creek. Add to that, Fabien Lefevre has now medalled at World Championships in three classes K1M, C2 and now C1M. We have the utmost respect to all three.

Deep Creek winners of heats, semi-final and final summary

C1M

The C1M belonged to Fabien Lefevre racing now for USA. It is 11 years since he stood on the podium in Augsburg to receive the second of his two K1M gold medals in K1M. He was on sensational form. It means the US team has lifted C1M individual World Championship gold at consecutive home World Championships 25 years apart.

Benjamin Savsek (SLO) who has been on form all season was exceptionally strong and looked like he had won the title. Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK) had dominated the heat and looked strong through the semi but was unable to stay clean through his run in the final. After a dominant World Cup series, Michal Martikán (SVK) comfortably made the semi-final but was not on the pace.

The C1M final was again made up of 7 nations of which the Germany, Slovenia and Slovakia each had two boats.

C1W

Jess Fox (AUS) deserved this win. At gate 17 she was 2.95 seconds up before picking up a 2 second penalty on gate 19. Somehow, very reminiscent of Fox at the Savage in ‘89 she pulled out a full 4.98 seconds between gates 20 and the sprint for the finish. It was her successive defence of her C1W title won in Prague and topped off her U23 World title in Penrith earlier in the season.

Mallory Franklin (GBR) again had to settle for silver after having led the final until Fox came down last. Overall heat winner again was Kateřina Hošková (CZE), while Nuria Vilarrubla won the semi-final.

Australia, Great Britain, France & Czech Republic each placed two boats in the final.

K1M

The French dominated K1M with a 1-2-3 clean sweep of the podium, something not done in K1M since the first World championships in Geneva in 1949 by the Austrian’s. France did a similar clean sweep of the K1W in the 1993 Mezzana Worlds.

Boris Neveu (FRA) had started the event winning the heat before Lucien Delfour (AUS) had gone exceptionally quick to set the fastest run of the weekend with 100.82 seconds clear in the semi-final.

It was not the result many had anticipated with the German team so strong, the Czech team so stylist or the US team at home. The final comprised 8 nations three of which were from France and no Hradilek, Prskavec or Prindis from the Czech Republic.

K1W

This was a sensational final to witness. Fiona Pennie (GBR) set a very high bar with a clear run that appeared immediately quick enough for a medal. She described her run: “The course had so many parts to focus on all the way down. I knew that I had gone through gates 2-3 really quickly, the cross went well at 8-9, I managed gate 12 better than the semi and then I was really quick through the spin on 15.  I knew I was on a flyer when I came out of 19, but had to hold my head together all the way to the finish. When I crossed the finish and saw I was 5 seconds ahead, I knew it would be hard to beat and enough to medal. It was an epic day. I couldn’t have put anything more into the run and I really did nail the plan. I am so pleased to come away with World Championship silver.”

As Jess, 20, sat on the start line she was aware of the time to beat. “I saw it on the big screen before my race and I remember thinking wow that’s a really fast time!” The run was very smooth and exceptionally quick and matching Pennie, we knew from the C1W that Fox would be very quick between the second split and the finish. 

Standing alongside commentators Kent Ford & Lamar Sims it was incredible to witness Jess winning gold 25 years after her Mum & Dad (Richard Fox & Myriam Jerusalmi) had both won their respective K1 titles in Maryland.

The final was made up of all three K1W from Germany (Schornberg, Pfeifer & Funk). Ricarda Funk, 22, has had a tremendous season and was a wild-card in many people’s minds

We cannot overlook the stupendous achievement of seeing Stepanka Hilgertova (CZE), 4th in the Deep Creek final, 25 years after she competed at the Savage World in ’89 where she also finished 4th. Mind-blowing!

C2M

The French C2 crews stamped their authority on Deep Creek from the start with 1-2-3 in both heat runs.

The C2 final was again a nail-biter with Luka Bozic & Saso Taljat (SLO) champions with a clean run and gutsy direct move through gates 18-19. It is the Slovenian nation’s first C2 gold medal at Worlds. Team of the season has unquestionably been Ladislav & Peter Skantar (SVK) and confirmed with their bronze in Deep Creek.

The semi-final and final course was not a kind one for big C2 boats. The semi-final included USA poster athletes Devin McEwan & Casey Eichfeld who finished a respective 15th. The final then comprised 8 nations of which three crews were French one more than in Prague last year.

Consistent with every race in the last two years the final was made up exclusively of boats from Europe. The North Americans, South Americans, Oceania and Asia-Pacific C2 crews have some intense work ahead of them to break into this top 10 elite club.

Most surprising was the early exit in the heats of David Florence & Richard Hounslow (GBR) who came to Deep Creek as the reigning World Champions and Olympic silver medallists.

Worlds Medal table

Medal table based on individual classes and teams

The French team celebrated topping the overall medal table receiving the award for overall federation plus best federation in K1M and C2. Germany received best federation in K1W & C1M, with Great Britain best federation in C1W.

Medal table based on individual classes

Race percentages

In all but the K1M the final was quicker than the semi-final. Both Fabien Lefevre C1M and Jess Fox in K1W were quicker than the usual expectations underlining how great both runs were.

10 Predictions for the Deep Creek Worlds
How did we fair on our 10 Predictions for the Deep Creek Worlds? We did see a great event, new legacy for canoe slalom in the US, new personal bests, wild-cards, younger developing teams and correctly anticipated some of the medallists. Deep Creek is certainly a unique race venue to paddle. It was a tough race for the defending champions with the exception of Jess Fox in C1W.

An emotional Todd Copley, Executive Director Deep Creek 2014 concludes; “We have taken a huge step in putting our community on the international map as the United States epicenter of adventure sports and we can’t let that momentum slow. Garrett County, you should be proud!  Along with a small army of dedicated volunteers you just delivered a World Championship to the highest standard! I could not be happier. This event has been two years in the making and to see it come together so beautifully is a manifestation of the hours of work by our small team and the amazing backing that we have had from the Host Organizing Committee, the business leaders and sponsors, and the majority of citizens of Garrett County understand the importance of this.”  

So top tips to teams

1. Study the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
2. Use more butter in your cooking
3. Serve French croissants at team training
4. Read Jonathan Males In the Flow
5. Race in the 2015 Pau World Cup final

Final words – good luck to the Washington 2024 (Olympic) bid. We look forward to racing here again.

All results: www.sportscene.tv/whitewater/canoe-slalom/result-archive/icf-world-championships-canoe-slalom-deep-creek

Photographers: Jochen Meyer, Nina Jelenc, Balint Vekassy, Fédération Française de Canoë-Kayak