Rotorua's Sam Sutton has proven class is permanent with his fourth Extreme Kayak World Championship title.
Having won successive titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Sutton was always going to be in the title-winning discussion. However, he faced a stern challenge as 16 of the world's best male kayakers from 10 different countries lined up for the final.
The 10th Adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championship was held at the infamous Wellerbrucke rapids in Otztal, Austria at the weekend and comprised 175 of the world's best kayakers from 33 different countries.
The relatively high water levels guaranteed fast times in a series of knockout rounds and with a new course record of 53.8sec set by multiple freestyle world champion Dane Jackson in the semifinal, the battle for the prestigious sickline belt in the final was always going to be a close one.
Sutton finished second by one hundredth of a second last year and, having achieved the second fastest time in the quarter-final and the third fastest time in the semifinal, he had a point to prove in this year's the final.