Jess Fox protests against easier women’s course at World Cup

Olympic canoeing medallist Jess Fox says organisers set the sport back by making the women’s World Cup course easier.

Australian canoeist Jessica Fox says women should tackle the same course as male competitors.

Olympic canoe slalom medallist Jess Fox has accused her international federation of setting the sport back 40 years by making the women’s C1 course easier than the men’s at the World Cup event in Germany last weekend.

Fox, who dominated the women’s C1 final in Markkleeberg, was furious that the organisers removed two of the gates from the course for the women’s event, saying it was to fit in with the TV schedule and create a smoother final.

But Fox, who has had to fight long and hard for the past five years to have her best event added to the Olympic program, a fight that was won last month, said the decision devalued the women’s event.

“It’s like we are going back 40 years to when they tried to do this for the K1 women,” Fox said.

“Two weeks ago we got accepted into the Olympic program, and now we can’t do the full course because they don’t think we are capable of it.

“I know that all the girls in that final are capable of doing that course. Maybe we have to do a few more spins, but give it time.’’

Fox, who also finished second in the K1 event in Germany, said the International Canoe Federation should be encouraging the women to lift their standards by providing equally challenging courses for both genders.

“We’re a new (C1) category, everyone else has been here since 1949, and we’ve been here since 2010,’’ Fox said.

“The girls are improving, I hope this is not going to be a trend for future World Cups. I’d like to see the girls do the same course as the boys.”

The equality battleground appears to be spreading across several sports. With Wimbledon starting last night, can the “men playing five sets versus women playing three sets at grand slams” debate be far away?

Former Pakistani cricket captain Waqar Younis created a Twitter firestorm yesterday when he suggested that the Women’s World Cup, currently being held in England, should be reduced from 50 overs per innings to 30 overs.

“What abt having 30 overs Cricket World Cup 4 Women???Like Tennis 3 sets rather then 5 #Suggestion I feel 50 overs r few 2 many,’’ he tweeted.

“Lesser overs mean faster pace, more audience, competitive Cricket, no discrimination or prejudice toward Women #AlwaysRespectWomen.’’

However cricketers and commentators were quick to argue that lowering standards was not the way for the game to develop.

Australian wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy pointed to her team’s record run chase against Sri Lanka last week, in which Sri Lankan batter Chamari Atapatthu and Australian captain Meg Lanning each scored more than 150 runs

“Ha ha so what you’re saying is that 530 runs in a 50-over game isn’t entertaining?! With two of the best innings anyone has seen,’’ Healy responded.

Sri Lankan bowler Sripali Weerakkody, who batted with Atapatthu, supported Healy’s opinion.

Former player and commentator Mel Jones pointed out that the average run rate at the event has been above five runs an over, there had been seven centuries from five different nations, and the game was “transforming rapidly’’.