Rowing: Fouhy and Ferguson lead charge at world champs

Olympic paddlers Ben Fouhy and Steven Ferguson will head the 20-strong New Zealand contingent at the canoe marathon world championships in Perth starting today.

Fouhy and Ferguson, who teamed up for the K2 1000 at the Athens Olympics and the world championships in August, will instead compete against each other in the senior men's K1 36km marathon race on Saturday.

They face stiff competition from Norwegian Olympic and world K1 1000m champion Eirik Veras Laarsen and leading Australian Nathan Baggaley.

After that gruelling event, Fouhy will take to the water on Sunday for the K2 but without his long-term partner.

Fouhy will team up with Simon McLarin, alongside another New Zealand crew in Dave Fernendez and Matt Thomson.

Rosie Shakespeare is the sole New Zealander in the senior women's K1 28.8km race on Saturday while Katie Pocock and Erin Taylor will contest the K2.

The championships start today and run until Sunday.

- NZPA