KEY POINTS:
Ben Fouhy spearheads New Zealand's bid for spots at next year's Beijing Olympic Games when the world canoeing championships start in Duisberg, Germany, tonight.
Fouhy, the 2003 world champion and Athens Olympics silver medallist, had an ordinary European campaign this season but is fired up to make up for lost time at a regatta that has drawn entries from a record 70 nations.
Fouhy is off tonight in his specialist K1 1000m in one of seven heats, with the semifinals in the afternoon. All bar one New Zealand crew are on the water tonight. First off are the women's K4 500m quartet of Connie Richards, Kristina Anglem, Anne Cairns and Erin Taylor, followed by K2 1000m pair Steven Ferguson and Mike Walker.
Ferguson is back tomorrow night for his K1 500m heats, as are the K4 500m four of Marty McDowell, Scott Bicknell, Tom Yule and Craig Simpkins in their non-Olympic event.
But it's Fouhy, Ferguson and Walker - who set a personal best time in training in Belgium in the 1000m - who hold most interest and the strongest chances of Olympic spots. The Beijing card has 12 events: nine men and three women.
Fouhy has been training himself since parting company with coach Mark Sutherland during the European tour in May but is confident he can regain his standing among the sport's elite.
Paddlers are working for top-six finishes in Duisberg, which will secure a place in the field at Beijing. There is a final chance at the Oceania continental regatta at Penrith in March but avoiding that is far preferable.
