Women's 200m world canoe sprint champion Lisa Carrington has sent out a warning to all who paddle against her _ she means business.
Competing at this year's Canoe Sprint Championships on Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) near Rotorua _ the 22-year-old blasted her rivals away to claim two national titles today.
In the open women's 500m final, Carrington cleared away to a three second lead to her nearest rival and K2 partner Erin Taylor.
The Ohope paddler said she was happy with the result.
``I'm really stoked about it. I had a race strategy and I executed it the way I wanted to, so it was good.''
Carrington blasted out of the blocks and although Taylor and North Shore's Rachel Dodwell tried to hang with the champion she continued to pick up the pace, wearing her opponents down and eventually coming home in a time of 1m 51.68s ahead of Taylor's 1m 54.53s and Dodwell's 1m 54.93s.
She then backed it up later on today, winning the open women's K2 500m final with Taylor in a time of 1m 49.59s in front of Rachel Dodwell and Jamie Lovett 1m 51.46s and Marianne Archer and Teneal Archer 1m 54.17s.
Another to make his presence felt was former world champ Ben Fouhy, yesterday he won the open men's 1000m final _ nearly four seconds ahead of his nearest rival Steven Ferguson.
He backed it up today, with his North Shore paddling partner Fred Teear to take out a photo finish in the open
men's 1000m final over Steven Fergusson and Darryl Fitzgerald. The pair won in a time of 3m 15.44s just 0.18 seconds ahead of Fergusson and Fitzgerald.
Fouhy followed this up by adding the open men's 500m title in a time of 1m 43.93s over Liam O'Laughlin and Darryl Fitzgerald.
The 32-year-old said he was happy with his form especially with the Oceania champs only two weeks away.
``Friday's win was a really good win for me. I think it's the most I've ever won a New Zealand title by, so I can take some encouragement from that,'' Fouhy said.
``Personally I wanted to do well here but really this was going to be used as a catalyst for the Oceania champs, that's critical for [me]... the racing here what ever way it went was more about two weeks time.''
Fouhy will be looking to add the men's 200m title when he competes tomrrow. Carrington who is also competing in her favoured event the open women's 200m final tomorrow, said she was feeling confident about the race.
``It' would be good to [win] the 200, [the distance] it comes to me quite naturally. It would be good to just race, because it is just all out and let it rip.''
In the men's K2 500m final raced this afternoon, Ferguson and Fitzgerald won by just 0.18 seconds in front of Troy Burbidge and Liam O'Loughlin.
The K2 champions will race again tomorrow for the 200m title.
Results:
Open Men K1 500m final; 1 Ben Fouhy 1:43.93, 2 Liam O'Laughlin 1:44.29, 3 Darryl Fitzgerald 1:47.05, 4 Steven Armstrong 1:48.15, 5 Scott Bicknell 1:49.53
Open Men K1 1000m final; 1 Ben Fouhy 03:43.26, 2 Steven Ferguson 03:47.18, 3 Darryl Fitzgerald 03:48.02, 4 Liam O'Loughlin 03:49.33, 5 Steven Armstrong 03:54.87
Open Men K2 500m final; 1 Steven Ferguson/Darryl Fitzgerald 1:36.99, 2 Troy Burbidge/Liam O'Loughlin 1:37.17, 3 Steven Armstrong/James Feathery 1:40.96, 4 Richard Forbes/Sam Newlands 1:51.75, 5 Ryan Welch/William Wilkins 2:08.96
Open Men K2 1000m final; 1 Ben Fouhy/Fred Teear 03:15.44, 2 Steven Ferguson/Darryl Fitzgerald 03:15.62, 3 Troy Burbidge/Liam O'Loughlin 03:17.22, 4 Steven Armstrong/James Feathery 03:29.51, 5 Scott Bicknell/Ryan Welch 03:41.43
Open Women K1 500m final; 1 Lisa Carrington 01:51.68, 2 Erin Taylor 1:54.53, 3 Rachel Dodwell 1:54.93, 4 Scott
Martlew 1:55.09, 5 Teneale Hatton 1:55.70
Open Women K2 500m final; 1 Lisa Carrington/Erin Taylor 1:49.59, 2 Rachel Dodwell/Jamie Lovett 1:51.44, 3 Marianne Archer/Teneale Archer 1:54.17, 4 Imrie Kayla/Jamie Welch 2:08.33, 5 Kate Johnston/Sharne Quickenden 2:10.99
Canoe nationals: Lisa Carrington shows her class
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