Canada's Jenna Marks races to gold in the women's C1 200-metre final at the canoe sprint world championships on Saturday. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Canadian women showed their moxy at the 2009 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Dartmouth, N.S., notching three gold medals Saturday on Lake Banook.

Hometown girl Jenna Marks sent the crowd into a frenzy in the last medal race of the day, the C1 200-metre final, as she took gold over Hannah Menke of the U.S. by 2½ seconds. Luciana Costa of Brazil won the bronze.

Earlier in the day, Nicole Haywood of Nanaimo, B.C., captured Canada's first gold medal at the worlds as she came out on top in the women's C1 500-metre final.

The 20-year-old dominated the field, pulling out to a 3½-second lead in the first 250 metres. She only got stronger during the final half of the race and finished in a time of 2:20.762, almost nine seconds better than second-place Hannah Menke of the United States, who clocked in at 2:29.630.

Russia's Maria Kazakova finished in 2:32.064 to win bronze.

The women's C1 500-metre and C1 200-metre events are exhibition sports at the championships this year, and currently not featured on the Olympic program.

A Canadian woman won gold in another exhibition event, as Christine Gauthier was victorious in the women's paddleability LTA 200-metre final.

Gauthier, 39, finished in 1:08.594 to capture top spot. Giovanna Chiriu of Italy took second with a time of 1:09.278, and France's Severine Amiot was third (1:09.898).

Van Koeverden nabs bronze

Earlier Saturday, Adam Van Koeverden paddled his way to a bronze medal in the men's K1 1,000-metre final.

The Oakville, Ont. native finished a little less than two seconds behind winner Max Hoff of Germany. Sweden's Anders Gustafsson took the silver.

The 27-year-old Van Koeverden started strong and led at the 500-metre mark, but Gustafsson caught him with 250 metres to go. That's when Hoff made his move, passing both to take gold.

Considering his struggles after breaking his ankle earlier in the summer, the three-time Olympic medallist was happy with his result.

Canada's Adam van Koeverden finished a little less than two seconds behind K1 1,000-metre winner Max Hoff of Germany. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

"I'm so proud," he told CBC Sports afterward. "I don't think I'm more proud of any other bronze medal, or any silver medal. I don't feel like I won, but I feel like I'm victorious in my own right today."

Hoff finished with a time of 3:29.425, Gustafsson finished in 3:30.976, and Van Koeverden clocked in at 3:31.285.

Gustafsson trained with Van Koeverden ahead of the worlds.

"It's been a really challenging summer," said Van Koeverden. "And I couldn't have done it without Anders [Gustafsson] and my training partners."

The bronze was a measure of redemption for Van Koeverden, who memorably ran out of gas in the event at the 2008 Olympics, finishing eighth after being the pre-race favourite.

"I was definitely looking for some retribution," he said.

Australia's Ken Wallace, who won gold during the event in Beijing, finished in fifth during Saturday's final.

Van Koeverden will also compete in the 500-metre final on Sunday.

Close to podium

Right after Van Koeverden took bronze in his race, Mark Oldershaw of Burlington, Ont., finished fourth in the C1 1,000-metre final.

"It's still fourth in the world, which I'm happy with," he said. "But it is frustrating to come in fourth."

The 26-year-old was only a few tenths of a second off the podium, as he was locked into a tight battle with Sebastian Brendel of Germany for bronze. Brendel took the medal with a time of 4:00.215, while Oldershaw finished slightly behind at 4:00.514.

Oldershaw credited the loud home crowd for his strong charge for bronze in the final quarter of the race.

"Oh man, they came through huge," he said. "I would've been eighth I think without them."

The fight for gold was even tighter, with Menkov Vadim of Uzbekistan finishing one tenth of a second ahead of France's Mathieu Goubel for the prize. Vadim clocked in at 3:55.947, with Goubel finishing in a time of 3:56.047.

Oldershaw also has another final to compete in, the C1 500-metre race set to go on Sunday.

In the K2 1,000-metre final, partners Steven Jorens of Candiac, Que., and Richard Dober Jr. of Trois Rivières, Que., finished ninth as Spain's Emilio Merchan and Diego Cosgaya took gold.

In the C2 1,000-metre final, partners Andrew Russell of Dartmouth, N.S., and Gabriel Beauchesne-Sevigny of Trois-Rivieres, Que., finished eighth as Germany won gold.

Canadians Mylanie Barre, Emilie Fournel, Kristin Gauthier, and Genevieve Orton finished seventh in the K4 500-metre final. Hungary won gold in the event.

Canada finished fifth in the men's C4 1,000-metre final, as Richard Dalton of Halifax, Thomas Hall of Pointe-Claire, Que., Angus Mortimer of Ottawa, and Benjamin Russell of Dartmouth, N.S. were two seconds off the bronze medal spot, taken by Romania. Belarus won gold, and Germany took silver.

Victoria Tuttle of Carleton Place, Ont., and Jillian D'Alessio of Middle Sackville, N.S., were eighth in the women's K2 1,000-metre final, as Poland won gold.

In the men's paddleability LTA 200-metre final, Canada's Antonio Flores finished seventh, well behind winner Ciro Ardito of Italy.