Gisborne’s Hoskin in the hunt for double sprint kayak gold

Alicia Hoskin and her “Power Plait” New Zealand teammates are a race away from emulating the feat of two of Gisborne’s greatest sportsmen.

It was 40 years ago on Lake Casitas in Los Angeles that Gisborne’s Alan Thompson and Grant Bramwell combined with Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald to win the K4 men’s 1000m gold medal at the LA Olympics.

Close to midnight tonight, Gisborne paddler Hoskin, Dame Lisa Carrington, of Ngati Porou descent, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan will contest the Paris Olympics K4 women’s final - albeit over 500m - at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

They got there with clinical ease, winning their heat on Tuesday night (NZ time) to bypass a semifinal and advance directly to the final.

The crew led from the start to win in a time of 1 minute 32.4 seconds – half a second ahead of Spain and a smidgen faster than the German crew who won heat 2.

Hoskin and Carrington later combined to win their K2 500 heat - again hitting the front from the get-go and staying there - and qualifying for the semifinals (on Friday from 8.50pm, with the final at 11.10pm).

While their time was not the fastest, they looked relatively relaxed as they hit the finish line, suggesting there was plenty more speed in them.

In a television interview after their race, Carrington said they were “really stoked” and paid tribute to Hoskin and the other K4 crew members.

“I’m incredibly proud and I do forget that it is their first time (at an Olympics).”

Hoskin stressed it was “a team effort”.

“We put a lot of trust in preparation, trust in the team members. It’s all about trusting that preparation . . . enjoying each other and enjoying ourselves out there.

“We will continue to grow, learn and challenge ourselves.”

Hoskin was well aware of the huge support they were receiving at the venue and from home.

“I can hear my family from a mile away. They’re known for their loud cheering. I draw a lot of strength from having them here.”

While Carrington and Hoskin were preparing for their K2 heat, Brett and Vaughan explained how the K4 worked.

Carrington “sets the pace”, Hoskin “locks in on her”, Brett “stays in time” and Vaughan is the “master of stability” at the back.

They also talked of their matching hair-dos, which they described as “power plaits” in anticipation of windy conditions on the course.