Cairns upbeat at Serbia challenge

Ace Masterton kayaker Anne Cairns has plenty to occupy her mind.

The New Zealand representative is in Germany preparing for a Wildwater World Cup event in Kraljveno, Serbia, on May 27-28 and is also working through a process which will see her take up full-time employment as a firefighter in Palmerston North.

Cairns admits she is looking for redemption in Serbia after finishing a "somewhat disappointing" 14th in her wildwater world championship individual event in Spain in 2010.

From what she has been told, her latest essay will be staged on a grade three plus river with some big pushy waves - but Cairns is optimistic it will suit her style.

"There's nothing too technical, it sounds like a course which could suit me quite well," she said.

As to her opposition, Cairns is unsure of the composition of the field but knows she will be up against many who are full-time paddlers and who are peaking for the world championships in France at the end of the month.

Having been so long away from the active wildwater scene, she hasn't got a world ranking but sees that as a possible plus. "It means I'll have to start from near the front of the field and that will help take the pressure off. I can just get on and do my own thing."

Cairns' build-up for Serbia included several waka ama races in New Zealand; her team Manuz and Jemimaz winning the open women's title for the third year running at the national long-distance championships last month and she finished third in the open women's individual event, raced over 16km.

On her return from Europe, Cairns will head to a major international outrigging event at Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays in Australia; an opportunity created by her being part of the winning team at the Takapuna Cup outrigging competition in February.