Hill and Nixon aim to retain ICF ocean racing world championship crowns

The ICF canoe ocean racing world championships begin Wednesday in France. Australia's Cory Hill seeks a third consecutive world title, while South Africa's Hayley Nixon defends her crown from two years prior. Hill has dominated ocean racing since the inaugural world championships in Portugal (2013 silver). He secured gold in Tahiti (2015) and Hong Kong (2017). However, the Australian faces intense competition at Saint-Pierre de Quiberon in France's Brittany. A formidable South African team, led by 2017 silver medalist Hank McGregor and two-time bronze medalist Jasper Mocke, poses a significant threat. Since his 2017 triumph, Hill has continued winning ocean racing events globally. He hopes for strong winds on Wednesday, which could be to his advantage. McGregor, a seven-time K1 canoe marathon world champion, and Mocke, aiming to improve on his 2015 and 2017 third-place finishes, have strong team support. This deep South African squad, including 2017 U23 world champion Kenneth Rice, will pressure Hill throughout the 22-kilometer race. Australia's team also features two-time stand up paddling world champion Michael Booth, fresh from a SUP World Cup win in Germany. They are joined by Mackenzie Hynard (U23 silver medalist from Hong Kong), and Sam Norton (2013 overall bronze medalist), alongside his brother Tom. The European challenge is spearheaded by Spain's 2018 European champion, Esteban Medina. He competes alongside Germany's Gordan Harbrecht, Portugal's Oscar Chalupsky, and French paddlers Nicolas Lambert and Benoit Leroux. In the women's event, Hayley Nixon capitalized on calm conditions to win gold at the 2017 world championships. Since that pivotal victory, she has dominated surfski racing....

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