NZ kayakers race for Olympics spots

Ben Fouhy. Photo / Kenny Rogers

Former world champion canoeist Ben Fouhy returns to the scene of his 2006 world championships bronze medal effort in Szeged, Hungary, tomorrow seeking to book a spot in next year's London Olympics.

Fouhy, the 2003 K1 1000m world champion who went on to win a silver at the following year's Athens Olympics, fronts a New Zealand contingent including K2 paddlers Steven Ferguson and Darryl Fitzgerald, the K4 squad of Scott Bicknell, Troy Burbidge, Liam O'Loughlin and Fred Teear, Teneale Hatton (K1 500m) and Lisa Carrington and Erin Taylor (K2 500m).

Racing, involving athletes from 94 countries in the canoe sprint world championships on the Maty-er regatta course begins tomorrow.

The championships is the first opportunity to qualify for the next year's Olympics.

Fouhy will hit the water first tomorrow followed by Ferguson and Fitzgerald.

Bicknell, Burbidge, O'Loughlin and Teear, arrive in Szeged with some competitive times under their belts in time trials.

The women's events are on Friday with Hatton attempting to build on her experience in K2 while the relatively new combination of Carrington and Taylor has been tracking steadily over the past few months.

Carrington will also pursue a strong finish in the women's K1 200m event in which she surprised rivals by winning the gold at May's World Cup round in Duisberg, Germany.

- NZPA