Kayaking: Village paddler eyes 2020 Olympics

Elise Legarth will be Hawke's Bay's sole rep in the Kiwi kayaking team for the Portugal-hosted junior world champs.

It might be a little premature to label Hawke's Bay kayaker Elise Legarth the next Aimee Fisher.

But although Legarth, 17, has had just four years in the sport, there are numerous similarities between her and her hero. Like Fisher, Legarth, who will be the sole Hawke's Bay paddler in the New Zealand team at the July Junior World championships in Montmor-o-velho, Portugal, was first coached by Pip Pearse, before coming under the guidance of Ben Bennett at the Bay club.

Legarth, like Fisher, is well rounded academically, a tribute to her time management skills, which are essential to the success of international athletes. While Fisher will hear within the next five weeks whether or not she has been successful in gaining selection for next year's Olympics in Rio, Havelock North High School Year 13 student Legarth has set the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as her long-term goal.

"Before Aimee moved to Auckland last year we used to train together. She was very good at passing on knowledge," Legarth said, during a spell from training yesterday.

One of six in the 18 and under Kiwi female squad for Portugal, Legarth, will attend a couple of training camps at Lake Karapiro, the first at Anzac weekend, before hearing which events she will compete in at the worlds. Her options are the K1 500 and 200m, the K2 500m and the K4 500m.

"I prefer the 500m events and my best chance of doing well will be in the K2," Legarth said.

At the Lake Karapiro-hosted February nationals, Legarth captured three under-18 golds and a silver. The golds came in the K2 500 and 200 finals with fellow Kiwi team member Shani Clarke, of the Arawa club, and the K1 500, and her silver came in the K1 200.

"Those results have certainly given me confidence for Portugal.

"Whatever events I get selected for I want to win medals and record personal bests," Legarth said.

Another confidence boost for Legarth was a second placing in a K4 event at February's Australian Grand Prix in Penrith, her third visit across the Tasman as a New Zealand representative.

Legarth is so focused on her kayaking, she has yet to decide which university she will attend next year or what she will study. A former Hawke's Bay canoe polo representative, Legarth, has also sacrificed that code in which she helped Hawke's Bay win three national women's B grade league titles.

"I realised I couldn't do both, and keep up with my school work, so I gave the canoe polo away last year. I'm really grateful for the manner in which my teachers help me catch up with work after national training camps too," Legarth explained.

Eight of Legarth's 11 training sessions each week are on the water and the other three with strength coach Craig McDougall at the Peak Fitness and Health Centre.

Before travelling to Portugal, the Kiwi team will have a training camp in Dunavarsany, Hungary, where they will also tackle a regional regatta.

Medals and personal bests on this expedition will be further proof of the similarities between Legarth and her hero. And as she pointed out.

"It all began when a note came around at school four years ago."

Legarth also had some paddling in the genes as her father Craig did some during his multisporting days.