Pallister On A Rapid Rise To Nation's Best

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday January 28, 1998

By NATHAN SIMPSON

Dapto canoeist Matthew Pallister beat the wild rapids and the country's best to win the 1998 Australia Day National Slalom Selection event on the Goulburn River at Eildon.

The 28-year-old blitzed the field in his favourite event - the K1 - to take line honours. He won in a time of 220.82s.

In fact, Pallister has now won all five races - consisting of national selection trials and the Australian championships - so far this year.

His unbelievable performance at Eildon has left the K1 competitor confident of winning a place in the Australian Olympic Games squad.

Pallister said before the event he expected to perform well with victory just being an added bonus. He delivered the goods.

"He went to the championships hoping to finish in the top four," his mother, Bev, said yesterday.

"He was delighted to win all five races and his confidence is now sky high ahead of some world cup meets."

Mrs Pallister, who is also chairman of the NSW Slalom and Wildwater committee and an international judge, said her son would spend four months overseas this year.

"He'll be heading to Europe in a couple of months for three world cup meets and then the world cup finals will be staged towards the end of the year," she said.

"He's done tremendously well, especially at the national selection trials, and now he's hoping to continue that good form up until the squad is named for the Olympics."

Pallister will spend some quality time with new Australian coach and five-times world champion Richard Fox in Europe and America. Earlier this month he won the men's K1 slalom event at the Australian Kayaking championships.

His paddling just seems to be getting better and his recent victory, at Eildon, should go a long way to achieving his goal of representing Australia at the 2000 Olympics.

Pallister should be considered a certain starter for the Olympics considering he has been to the past two Games and is a national champion in the K1 event.

He's also been awarded funding by the OAP, which will be increased leading up to the Olympics.

© 1998 Illawarra Mercury

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