Jess Fox puts an end to retirement speculation after being named in Australia's World Cup team

Jess Fox has put an end to speculation around her future in the sport of canoe slalom after it was announced she will represent Australia at the upcoming World Cup events.

Fox, 31, was unable to hit the rapids for most of last year as she underwent surgery to remove a tumour on her kidney and ultimately endured a lengthy recovery.

The surgery ruled Fox out of the home ICF Slalom World Championships, with some speculating that she may call time on the sport for good.

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But Fox has no plans to retire any time soon and will now represent the green and gold once again on the world stage at the ICF Slalom World Championship and World Cups.

"We welcome the return of Jessica Fox, who was unable to compete at the end of last year," Paddle Australia national performance director Brendan Purcell said in a statement.

"She is back training, and we're excited for her much-anticipated return to the rapids this international season."

Fox did not compete at the recent Australian Open or Penrith Open, where all other 14 paddlers named in the World Cup and World Championship team raced.

Instead, the three-time Olympic gold medallist fulfilled her duties with the International Olympic Committee at Milano Cortina.

"Jess has been back in training for a few months ... she is tracking well," Richard Fox, her father, told reporters at the Australian Open.

"She will pick up racing later in the year."

Fox will travel to Ljubljana, Slovenia, with the group at the end of May to kick off the World Cup season. She will then travel to the ICF World Championships in Oklahoma.

The competition in Oklahoma will be the first time Australia's athletes get a taste of the course and rapids that will be used for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

"The World Championships team carries immense experience and paddlers with the taste of World Championship success," Purcell added.

"We're confident this team can achieve more World Championship glory and give Aussie fans something to look forward to in two years time.

"Congratulations to all paddlers on their selection. We can't wait to see our athletes go from strength to strength on the world stage this season."

Australia's World Championship team:

Jessica Fox - Women's Canoe, Kayak and Kayak Cross

Noemie Fox - Women's Canoe, Kayak and Kayak Cross

Kate Eckhardt - Women's Canoe and Kayak

Ada Mackie - Women's Kayak Cross

Kaylen Bassett - Men's Canoe

Tristan Carter - Men's Canoe

Lachlan Bassett - Men's Canoe

Lucien Delfour - Men's Kayak and Kayak Cross

Ben Pope - Men's Kayak

Tim Anderson - Men's Kayak and Kayak Cross

Merle Long - Men's Kayak Cross

Australia's World Cup team

Jessica Fox - Women's Canoe, Kayak and Kayak Cross (World Cups 1-5)

Noemie Fox - Women's Canoe, Kayak and Kayak Cross (World Cups 1-5)

Kate Eckhardt - Women's Canoe and Kayak (World Cups 1-5)

Ada Mackie - Women's Kayak Cross (World Cups 1-5)

Georgia O'Callaghan - Women's Canoe (World Cups 1 & 3)

Kaylen Bassett - Men's Canoe (World Cups 1-5)

Tristan Carter - Men's Canoe (World Cups 1-5)

Lachlan Bassett - Men's Canoe (World Cups 2, 4 & 5)

Dominic Curtain - Men's Canoe (World Cups 1 & 3)

Lucien Delfour - Men's Kayak and Kayak Cross (World Cups 1-5)

Ben Pope - Men's Kayak (World Cups 1-5)

Tim Anderson - Men's Kayak and Kayak Cross (World Cups 2, 4 & 5)

Sebastian Montalto - Men's Kayak (World Cups 1 & 3)

Mark Crosbee - Men's Kayak Cross (World Cups 1 & 3)