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Tuesday, September 19, 2000
Canoe News Online

Ratcliffe on target for podium finish

Paul Ratcliffe is on course to win Britain’s first Olympic kayak canoe slalom singles gold medal after a successful if not entirely comfortable qualification at the Whitewater Stadium at Penrith today.

Ratcliffe, 26, paddled into tomorrow's final by finishing third overall behind Mathias Roethenmund, of Switzerland, and Thomas Schmidt, of Germany, but was unhappy with the conditions. "This course is ten to 15 seconds too long - I don’t like the way they do it," Ratcliffe said.

The World Cup champion from Nottingham finished second on the first run and sixth on the second on a 25-gate course which caused problems in the wind, particularly in the bottom section. But at least he made the top 15 places for the final: David Ford, the world champion from Canada, finished 22nd and misses out.

Roethenmund finished 0.15sec in front of Schmidt with Ratcliffe a further half second adrift on the combined time of the two runs.

Ian Wiley, the Irish paddler, is hoping somebody pulls out before the final as he finished sixteenth and his plight attracted sympathy from Schmidt.

"I am surprised that there are only 15 finalists," he said. "It is sad for the guy who comes sixteenth. In previous Games 18 or more were allowed."

David Chappell
The Times