Jones dominates on whitewater course | Bay of Plenty Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Bay of Plenty

Tauranga Olympian Luuka Jones made a strong statement in the first national whitewater slalom ranking and selection races on the Tarawera River in Kawerau at the weekend.

Jones was nearly 6s faster than her nearest rival in the women's K1, clocking 105.36s. Otaki's Louise Jull was second in 111.51s, while Te Puke's Nikki Whitehead continued her steady improvement by finishing third in 117.73s, ahead of Canadian Katrina Van Wijk's 123.92s.

Though Sunday's racing was washed out because of stormy weather, Tauranga's Kelly Travers won the women's C1 ahead of Jane Nicholas and Australia's Lydia Toms.

Shaun Higgins and Brent Bastin were the best of the Kiwi C1 men's contingent, finishing equal second after both clocking 105.65s. Frenchman Denis Gargaud blitzed the course in 97.3s.

Aaron Osborne was the top Kiwi K1 paddler, ahead of Johann Roozenburg and Mike Dawson, though Czech maestro Vavra Hradillek nailed the time of the day with 87.12s.

Results:

Men's C1M: Denis Gargaud 97.3s 1, Brent Bastin 105.64s 2, Shaun Higgins 105.64s 3.

Women's C1W: Kelly Travers 149.31s 1, Jane Nicholas 166.22s 2, Lydia Toms 184.7s 3.

Men's K1M: Vavrinec Hradlek 87.12s 1, Pierre Bourliaud 87.54s 2, Lukasz Polaczyk 89.44s 3, Aaron Osborne 91.2s 4, Johann Roozenburg 91.3s 5, Mike Dawson 92.49s 6, Callum Gibb 92.83s 7, Carl Whitehead 99.27s 8, Finn Butcher 101.27s 9, Cole O'Connor-Stratton 101.9s 10.

Women's K1W: Luuka Jones 105.36s 1, Louise Jull 111.51s 2, Nikki Whitehead 117.73s 3, Katrina Van Wijk 123.92s 4, Ella Nicholas 123.01s 5.