Kayaking: Jones misses out on semifinals in Prague

Tauranga's Luuka Jones 5th in the women's K1 heats. Photo / APN

Beijing Olympian Luuka Jones was the best of the New Zealand contingent at the final World Cup canoe slalom round of the season in Prague, Czech Republic, this weekend.

Jones finished 35th in the women's K1 heats, missing out on the semifinal by 2.94 seconds as she builds towards next month's world championships in Bratislava.

She picked up three 2sec time penalties in her second run, otherwise she would have comfortably finished inside the top-30 semifinalists.

Fellow Bay of Plenty paddler Mike Dawson was 32nd after the first heat in the men's K1, easily inside the top-40 needed to progress, but also had penalty trouble in his second run, touching twice. It dropped him to 45th, just 0.72sec outside the semifinals.

Otaki's Louise Jull was 44th of the K1 women, while Te Puke's Nikki WHitehead was 53rd.

Rotorua's Aaron Osborne was 55th in the K1 men's, and Bay of Plenty's Johann Roozenburg 71st in making his comeback in a major race for the first time since dislocating his shoulder earlier in the season.

Of the other New Zealanders Brent Bastin, Ben Gibb and Shaun Higgens were 48th, 50th and 51st respectively in the men's C1.

Next month's world championships are vital for kayakers wanting to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

- NZPA