Kayaking: Kiwis ascend to podium as rapids challenge world's best

Tauranga paddler Mike Dawson's strong recent form has continued with a podium finish at the Extreme Kayak World Championships in Austria. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi paddlers Mike Dawson and Jamie Sutton have climbed on to the podium at the Extreme Kayak World Championships after a weekend of intense racing on the legendary Wellerbrucke rapids in Austria's Otztal valley.

Dawson, a former Tauranga Boys' College student, picked up his second silver medal at the event, while Sutton beat a strong field, including big brother Sam, to finish third.

The result meant plenty to Dawson, who had overcome a number of injuries in recent times to prove he is still a major threat on the international scene.

"It's so good to get back on the podium here," he said.

"Last year - or even this year - I had surgery. I broke my back the year before, so it's pretty rad[ical] just to be paddling again."

Dawson believed it was getting more difficult to stay near the top of the growing sport.

"Every year it gets harder and harder, there are more guys making this their core thing, their core sport, and they're training hard all year.

"There are other races popping up that are really good and challenging everyone, so when they come here for the pinnacle event of the year, everyone is just there to win and that's pretty hard when you've had success in the past with all these young fellows nipping on your heels and wanting to take your podium spot, so it's really tough, but a lot of fun."

While Sam Sutton, who nailed the fastest time in semifinals (56:50) had trouble finding the perfect line with the low water level of only 1.82 m, his younger brother Jamie successfully defended the family's honour, winning the bronze medal with a time of 57:50.

Jamie's course record of 55:73, which he had set last year, wasn't bettered.

"I'm pretty happy that my course record didn't get beaten," he said.

"I was watching ... and I was getting a little bit nervous. I was kind of hoping to beat my time myself, but since I didn't do it, I'm glad nobody else did.

"I'm pretty stoked to be in third place, this is the highest I've ever been.

"I'm a little bit disappointed for Sam, because I thought this was going to be his year again, it would have been awesome to see him back up on top."

The title was taken by Joe Morley from Leeds in Great Britain.

Last year Morley surprised the kayaking community when he defeated the seemingly unbeatable 3-time adidas Sickline World Champion Sam Sutton from New Zealand. This year, the slalom specialist returned as defending champion and favourite and he stood up to the pressure.

Over 130 of the world's finest whitewater, slalom and freestyle paddlers from 25 different countries descended on the picturesque town of Oetz to compete for world championship honours on the legendary Wellerbrucke rapids, a section of the glacier-fed Otztaler Ache River that is considered to provide one of the most difficult whitewater challenges in the world

The Wellerbrucke rapids are solid class 5 whitewater, both technically difficult and dangerous.