Squad showcases strength of NZ women’s kayakers

New Zealand are sending eight women kayakers to World Cup regattas this year in a clear sign that’s where the strength of the sport lies.

Spearheaded by three-time Olympic medallist Lisa Carrington, and the K4 who reached the Rio Olympic final last year, the women will race in two K4 boats but also split into single and two-seaters at times.

Carrington is skipping her K1 200m discipline, in which she’s won the last two Olympic titles and will be in a K4, effectively replacing the retired Jaimee Lovett from the Rio quartet, and will race with Caitlin Ryan, Aimee Fisher and Kayla Imrie. She will return to the K1 500m at the second World Cup in Szeged, Hungary.

Ryan will race the K1 500m in Portugal and Fisher the K1 200m in Hungary. All eyes are on the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. This is the first chance to aim for that.

“I have to do it differently,” Carrington said of the fresh challenge.

“The same thing that motivated me for Rio is not the same thing that will motivate me for Tokyo and I learned that doing the double [in Rio where up-and-comers, Briar McLeely, Rebecca Cole, Britney Ford and Kim Thompson, daughter of 1984 Olympic champion Alan Thompson. They will race in the 200m and 500m distances at both cups.

“We’re really proud of the progress the younger crew has made,” said Canoe Racing New Zealand chief executive Mark Weatherall.

The eight women will split into four pairs to race over the 200 and 500m distances at both cups.

A new team will be named for the world championships in Racice, Czech Republic in August.