She said she had “zero expectation” leading into the regatta, so was delighted to add her name to the list of champions in this event.
Thompson was “stoked” with the result because she hadn't been able to train as much as she would have liked due to work commitments.
“The start was good, which can be a bit hit-and-miss at the moment. I was holding on through the last 50 metres. My back end of the race is a bit of a struggle at the moment because I haven't done much training.”
The weekend wasn't without drama. Poverty Bay duo Hannah Webb and Charlie Keepa shared the top of the podium with the Waitara crew of Poppy Barnes and Mia Padrutt after both crews finished with the same time of 53.28s in the final of the under-14 women's K2 200m.
The club travelled with 23 paddlers, with more out-of-town paddlers representing Poverty Bay making their own way to Lake Karapiro.
Poverty Bay Kayak Club development squad coach Emily Willock said they hadn't been able to compete since December, so coaches didn't know where their paddlers stood going into the weekend.
“I didn't expect us to be at the top,” she said.
“It's been so long between races, you don't know how they'll do. You know they're getting better, but it's hard to gauge.”
After rescheduling because of Covid-19, local paddlers had to train through winter twice daily, six times a week, Willock said.
“Training solidly through the winter . . . it's quite hard to stay motivated.”
Massive amounts of determination in training and a “great atmosphere” at the club had been awesome to see, she said.
A highlight was watching Ollie Egan and Matt McKendry “absolutely dominate” the K2 u14 division with convincing wins in the 200- and 400-metre races before earning a third gold in the K4 200m, she said.
“I find it really cool that such a small place churns out some great athletes. We don't have massive numbers.”
Along with Poverty Bay crews finding success, paddlers such as Angus Baker, who does not have a local crew, found success “hot-seating” for other clubs.
Baker paddled in the K2 with Poverty Bay but also won gold in the u16 K4 200m with Whanganui Kayak and Multisport Club and bronze medals in the u18 K4 500m and 200m with Waitara Kayak Club.
Emma Brownlie, also with the Waitara Kayak Club, won gold in the u18 women's K4 200m.
Gold: under-14, u16 and u18 club relay (G Robertson, E Brownlie, A Baker, O Egan, A Dearness, H Webb); master women's K2 500m (C Berben, E Willock); open women's K1 200m (Kim Thompson); open women's K4 200m (A Fisher, B Saunders, K Thompson, A Bermingham); open women's K4 500m (A Fisher, B Saunders, K Thompson, A Bermingham); tyro men's K1 500m (Isaac Pittaway); tyro mixed K4 200m (G McKendry, C Garnet, I Pittaway, A Kinsella); tyro women's K1 100m (Georgia McKendry); tyro women's K1 200m (G McKendry); tyro women's K1 500m (G McKendry); u14 men's K2 200m (O Egan, M McKendry); u14 men's K2 500m (O Egan, M McKendry); u14 men's k4 200m (B Edwards, O Egan, M McKendry, T Sparrow); u14 women's K1 200m (Hannah Webb); u14 women's K2 200m (H Webb, C Keepa); u14 women's K4 500m (H Webb, M Padrutt, P Barnes, C Keepa); u18 women's K4 500m (G Robertson, J Padrutt, S Old, E Brownlie).
Silver: novice men's K1 500m (Nick Pittaway); tyro men's K1 500m (AJ Kinsella); tyro mixed K2 200m (G McKendry, I Pittaway); u14 men's K4 500m (B Edwards, O Egan, M McKendry, T Sparrow); u14 women's K1 500m (Hannah Webb); u14 women's K2 500m (H Webb, C Keepa); u18 women's K2 200m (G Robertson, E Brownlie); u18 women's K2 500m (G Robertson, E Brownlie).
Bronze: master men's 55+ 200m (Geoff Mould); novice men's K1 100m (Nick Pittaway); novice men's K1 200m (Nick Pittaway); open men's K1 1000m (Quaid Thompson); open men's K1 500m (Quaid Thompson); senior mixed K2 200m (A Bermingham, S Ferkins); tyro mixed K2 200m (C Garbett, A Kinsella); u14 men's K1 200m (Ollie Egan); u14 men's K1 500m (Ollie Egan); u14 women's K2 200m (E Walsh, P Rasby); u14 women's K4 500m (H Walsh, E Walsh, A Garbett, P Rasby); u16 men's K1 200m (Angus Baker); u16 women's K4 500m (A Dearness, E Brimelow, A Mariette, S Piebenga).