Jessica Fox will aim for success in the women's C1 and K1 events ©Getty Images

Australia’s Jessica Fox will seek to claim her first ever victory in Pau as she aims to defend her C1 title at the Canoe Slalom World Championships.

The French-born athlete has yet to secure a win at the course, but will be hoping to mark the event’s first appearance at the World Championships as an Olympic discipline in style.

The International Canoe Federation confirmed the women’s C1 competition had been added to the Olympic programme in 2016, with the event replacing the men’s C2 in the interest of gender equality.

Fox emerged as the winner of the C1 event two years ago in London, before the Championships took a break last year for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The Australian, who was recently confirmed as the winner of the World Cup title, will hope for a fourth individual world title.

“I’ve done a lot of races, I’ve been away for five months and now we’re getting to the tricky end of the season,” Fox said.

“It’s what we are training for, and it’s what is going to count.

“Every race I’ve raced is going towards the World Championships.

“I try and learn a little bit from that, and I’m happy with my form.”

Fox was forced to settle for second place in the women’s K1 World Cup standings this season, with Ricarda Funk securing the title.

The German will head to Pau as the favourite in the discipline, following four straight World Cup wins.

Ricarda Funk will hope to add a world title to her recent World Cup success ©Getty Images
Ricarda Funk will hope to add a world title to her recent World Cup success ©Getty Images

Czech kayaker Vit Prindis will be one to watch in the men’s K1 competition, but could face competition from Britain’s Joe Clarke, the Rio 2016 Olympic champion.

Germany’s Sideris Tasiadis is expected to be the man to beat in the C1 event.

Men’s and women’s C2 competitions will also take place at the Championships, which are expected to feature 500 athletes from 57 nations.

Action will begin tomorrow with team events, with heats for a number of events taking place for next two days.

The men’s K1 and C2 finals have been scheduled to be held on Friday (September 29), along with the women’s C1 event.

Women’s K1 and men’s C1 finals will take place the following day.

The event is also set to feature extreme canoe slalom and the Wildwater World Championships.

Action will completely draw to a close in France on Sunday (October 1).