Superstar paddler Jessica Fox showed she's fallible with a error in her opening kayak slalom run relegating her to second spot on the Paris Olympics rankings.
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The Australian flag bearer, who is hunting an unprecedented three gold medals in her sport, opened her campaign in the K1 event on Saturday afternoon.
The 30-year-old has won three Olympic medals in the event in her three Games but gold has proved elusive, with her best result a silver medal in London in 2012.
Fox is attempting to win the K1, defending her C1 crown and will also chase gold in the kayak cross which is a new addition to the program in Paris.
Ranked world No.1, Fox was last on to the course for the first of two runs and got off to a flying start, with her time more than two seconds quicker through the top of the course.
But she lost time on the fourth last gate, forced to paddle back up-stream after going low.
That left her with the second-fastest time, clocking 95.20 seconds, behind home-town favourite Camille Prigent (94.67).
Reigning Olympic champion Ricarda Funk finished the first run ranked sixth with the German hit with a two second time penalty for clipping the second-last gate.
The paddlers will complete a second run with the top 22 moving through to the semi-finals on Sunday.
Australia's Tristan Carter finished his opening run of the men's C1 ranked eighth.
Australian Associated Press
