"It will be definitely good to go against Melissa as New Zealanders to see where we stand in terms of our preparations for Portugal. Usually in the nationals it is a mixed race and I can key off the men, and in a time that is usually around the international level.
"But it is going to be a separate race for the women and I therefore was going to have to rethink my approach. With Mel in the race, it is going to be fast and the pace will be on right from the start and not just over the last lap.
"My first job is to get in the top two to get to Portugal. I don't want to have a race that is not competitive. What I am trying to learn and put into practice is how to race at a world-class level, so I don't want it to be slower and tactical. That won't be the case with Melissa in the field."
Aside from Gorman, Baker is preparing for a tough race from fellow Kiwi Charlotte Webby, who is also a respected swimmer in the pool. The pair are regular rivals at the top of the women's field in the State Ocean Series.
Baker is looking to prove to herself her ability in the elite distance after a disappointing showing in China last year. She needed a medical clearance after fainting just before the start of the 10km open-water swim at the Fina World Championship in Shanghai.
The Howick Pakuranga swimmer finished in 22nd place in the women's 10km, swum in hot and humid conditions at the Jinshan City Beach with the top 10 securing a berth directly for London.
Baker said her terrifying experience in China was a major concern but proved a blessing in disguise. "It was really scary. I remember saying to [national coach] Philip Rush 'what is going on?' And then fainting. Yes, it was frightening.
"I went to my doctors when I got back and after tests they found an imbalance in my bowel. So the issue was that I drank too much water and not enough electrolytes. It is good to find that out and now we have been able to change my nutrition."
Baker also learned some valuable lessons about herself in Shanghai.
"I learnt not just with the nutrition from the illness. I learned that mentally I am a lot stronger than I realised. There are a few tactics I want to change and things with the feeding I want to change to see how it works out. I am learning with every race. Anything can happen in a 10km race, so you also have to be aware and react to it."
Baker trains mostly in the pool and doesn't compete in the 10km distance too often, so it is important to take every chance in 2012.
"The hardest thing about a 10km race is that it does take a lot out of you. You don't want to be doing a lot of them in a year. So you really want to focus on a few and make sure you get them right. Every Sunday I take a lot of kids down for a swim in the lake or the sea here on the Gold Coast. It is a lot of fun to get into the feel and rhythm of swimming in the open water."
Baker, who trained through the Christmas break, keeps a consistent mileage in the pool all year round. The 14-strong team based on the Gold Coast does nine sessions a week at an average of around 7.5km per session.
Baker does three sessions of dry land and Pilates on a Saturday morning, which is a new addition to her regime.
Sixteen members of the Chinese swim team have also joined the camp and raised the standard - and added some moments of hilarity, particularly during Pilates sessions.
"It provides plenty of humour and cracks me up. There's normally about 14 of us and with the Chinese team it is 30 overall. So it's chock-a-block, but I like it that way with lots of people. The squad is mostly male - there's only five females, although that's not including the Chinese.
"I definitely enjoy training with the guys, who really push me along. The Chinese can all speak English to us too now. They really push us along too."
Cara Baker
Recent swimming record
2011 22nd Fina world long course championships (10km open water).
* 2011 14th Fina world long course championships, team (10km open water).
* 2011 Australian open-water championships, 2nd in 10km open water.
* 2011 New Zealand open-water champion 10km and 5km.
* 2010 Pan Pacific Games, 17th in 10km open water.
* 2010 6th Fina world open-water championships, 9th in 5km open water, 17th in 10km open water.
* 2010 Australian open-water championships, 1st in 5km open water, 2nd in 10km open water.
* 2010 New Zealand open-water champion 10km and 5km.
petethornton8@hotmail.com
