“I’m feeling good, mainly because training has been going well, especially since I arrived in Europe in May.”
Hoskin, 19, who will compete in the K2 500m alongside Caitlin Ryan, was surprised by her selection.
She will represent New Zealand in the open class at a world champs for the first time.
“I had a whirlwind of emotions when I was told about the selection,” she said.
“New Zealand has some of the top women in the world, including Lisa Carrington, Caitlin Ryan, Aimee Fisher and Kayla Imrie.
“I have grown up watching and admiring what these girls have achieved together, so to be named in a team alongside them is extremely humbling and a very cool opportunity.
“We work alongside sport psychologists, athlete life advisers, physios, nutritionists . . . so although I wasn’t expecting this selection, I feel confident and prepared to take it on.”
The world championships are in Szeged, Hungary, from August 21 to 25, but Hoskin will also compete in the under-23 world championships in Pitesti, Romania, at the start of August.
“As a young athlete, I am very conscious of not putting too much pressure and expectation on myself, but I’ve always had a passion for racing,” Hoskin said.
Support staff made sure that she did not over-train and that she maintained a healthy perspective on sport and life, she said.
Kiwi kayakers raced in New Zealand in the summer and competed internationally in the Northern Hemisphere summer.
“We train two or three times a day, six days a week,” Hoskin said.
“Leading into the international season, we have had some really solid training and racing, so feel well prepared.”
Thompson and Hoskin aspire to Olympic success in the long term but their immediate focus is on setting themselves up for a good world champs.
Thompson often trains solo and, though he will be part of the New Zealand team for the world champs, he is focusing on his own performance.
It’s not quite the same for Hoskin.
“K2 is one of the toughest but coolest boats to race, as you have to be really in sync with your partner to make it fast,” she said.
“Caitlin and I will need to stay in sync with our movements for the entirety of the race, even when fatigue kicks in and you start to feel the burn.”
Hoskin said the national coaches and athletes in the women’s programme had put a lot of work into “building a culture that allows paddlers to be the best versions of themselves while operating within a wider team”.
“The 2019 world champs are the first Olympic qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” she said.
“The crowds will be wild and the competition will be extremely high.
“However, we are confident in the preparation we have done and we know we can take on some of the top countries.”
