Canoeing: NZ paddlers make semis

New Zealand paddlers advanced to the semifinals on the opening day of the world canoeing championships in Nova Scotia yesterday.

All four crews progressed to semifinals at Lake Banook in Dartmouth, with Steven Ferguson the most impressive. The three-time Olympic representative was second quickest in his heat, and fifth fastest overall, in the K1 1000m, clocking 3min 34.116s in finishing behind Dane Rene Holten Poulsen, who put up 3:33.888.

Ferguson followed up in the afternoon with a third placing in his 500m heat, recording 1:47.267, which was also third-fastest time overall. Erin Taylor was third in her K1 1000m heat in 4:25.709 and fourth in her heat in the shorter distance, clocking 2:05.741.

K2 pairs Scott Bicknell and Troy Burbidge, and Lisa Carrington and Teneale Hatton also progressed to two semifinals each. Bicknell and Burbidge were second in their 1000m heat in 3:23.418, and fifth over 500m in 1:40.639.

Carrington and Hatton were fifth in both their heats, being an encouraging sixth overall over the non-Olympic 1000m.

Semifinals were to be early today with the finals late tonight.