The signs are encouraging but the proof will come on the water at this week's world championships in Germany.

Paddle your way and around the City of Sails.

In the late 1980s, Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald were in high demand for happy snaps from other, admiring paddlers as they made their way around the world circuit.

Kiwi Olympic gold medallist Lisa Carrington again demonstrated her fondness for that particular colour, taking out the K1 500 at the second World Cup regatta in the Czech Republic last night.

Never shy of sticking her oar in, Elisabeth Easther shares some ideas for nautical adventures you can embark on - if you sea fit.

There's a certain symmetry to New Zealand's best kayaker being first on to the water when the opening World Cup event starts in Szeged, Hungary tonight.

At an age when many athletes might be winding their career down and looking for a fresh challenge, Ben Fouhy is testing himself at the elite level again this year.

Champion paddler Lisa Carrington will contest two disciplines on this year's European campaign with the aim of a serious crack at double Olympic Games success in Rio in 2016.

Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson has survived a horrific near-drowning in a Chilean river, but still faces spending the next three months out of his boat.