Kayaking: K4 proves resounding success with Bronze

New Zealand women's K4 (L-R) Ryan Caitlin, Aimee Fisher, Lisa Carrington and Kayla Imrie. Photo / photosport.nz

For all Lisa Carrington's sustained excellence, the efforts of the burgeoning K4 crew has probably given Canoe Racing New Zealand just as much satisfaction this year.

The quartet of Carrington, Kayla Imrie, Aimee Fisher and Caitlin Ryan capped off the season with a bronze medal on the final afternoon of the world championships in Racice, Czech Republic last night.

That followed victories at two World Cup regattas in Portugal and Hungary earlier in the season.

A four, with the now-retired Jaimee Lovett in for the single seat maestro Carrington, made the Olympic final in Rio last year after a year together, finishing fifth. This campaign, with Carrington stepping up her overall involvement, has been hugely encouraging.

Carrington bagged four medals in Racice - gold in her specialist K1 200m sprint and the K2 500m with Ryan, silver in the K1 500m and the K4 bronze -- and retains her standing among the true champions of the sport.

But while the admiration for Carrington's deeds grows with every year, the K4 was a project for this year and has proved a resounding success.

"There have definitely been some hurdles along the way and but to see those four black-clad paddlers on the podium at a world championship is immensely satisfying and a very proud moment," CRNZ chief executive Mark Weatherall said.

"Three years ago, we set a plan in motion to build a team boat capable of performing on the world stage, which would in turn expand our stable of paddlers, but only in our wildest dreams did we expect this kind of result so soon.

''It's a tribute to all the athletes involved, the coaches at both club and national level and the support from High Performance Sport New Zealand that our women's programme is probably now up there with any other in the world."

Carrington lined up in 10 races during the worlds, in a significant display of fitness and concentration. Weatherall described her as a ''once in a lifetime" athlete.

At 28, she's now up to 11 world championship medals - seven gold, two silver and two bronze - to go along with her three Olympic medals, which include back-to-back K1 200m golds at London in 2012 and Rio.

The quartet, with Carrington in the front No 1 seat, were part of a thrilling duel in last night's K4 final.

They were right in the contest, but the Hungarian four were superior, having their noses in front by halfway and hanging on impressively to win in 1min 29.784s.

Germany were second in 1:30.084 with New Zealand just 0.131s further back.

Carrington earlier flew down the course in 38.433s to win her fifth successive world 200m title, .568s ahead of Dane Emma Jorgensen with Pole Marta Walczykiewicz third.

Her victory with her North Shore training partner Ryan in the K2 500m was a notable performance and hinted at a truly world class pair through to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

"A few months ago, I didn't really know I was going to do this event, so I've only been training with Caitlin for a few months," she said.

"This is why we do all the training that we do and I've been preparing for this for a while, so I just had to trust the process really."

The process certainly worked, and indeed the immediate future through to 2020 looks in solid shape. There are clear signs a significant era in women's sprint kayaking is under way.