KAYAKING
If Aaron Osborne can get himself and his kayak to the Whitewater Slalom World Championships in one piece later this year, it'll go a long way to getting the Kiwi No 1 closer to an Olympic berth.
The Rotorua-based schoolteacher left for Europe yesterday on a "building year" campaign which will
see him race three world cups on the way to the world championships in Spain.
The first World Cup is in France in a fortnight with the next two in Slovakia and Germany.
While the 23-year-old believes he's now mentally better equipped to paddle among the world's best, he doesn't want a repeat of his effort in 2007 which involved some less than useful tie-downs, the roof of a car and four airborne kayaks.
"I never, ever saw my boat again. There were four boats on the roof, three of them we found parts of," recalled Osborne, who was a relief teacher at Western Heights High School for the last seven weeks.
Without his own kayak, Osborne ended up competing in a borrowed "sinking tub" for his championship run, in which he finished 30th - his and New Zealand's best senior result for some time.
"It wasn't even worth paddling. I should have gone on holiday. I'm hoping that won't happen again. We'll put an extra tie on [the kayaks]," joked Osborne.
After a solid season during the New Zealand summer, Osborne wants some definite improvements in international performance - and luck - during the next few years.
During his 2007 campaign Osborne and fellow Kiwi paddler Mike Dawson showed potential with some top-10 runs during qualifying events. That experience gave Osborne confidence despite still suffering the tail end of rehabilitation for a prolapsed disc in his back.
"I want to try and make it into the top-10 consistently over [this] year and next year," Osborne said following a final pre-trip paddle at Okere Falls.
"It's a bit of a building year for us in a way. Go to the world cups and see what needs to be done ... get it right for next year and even that will be to make sure everything is all right with 2011 a [Olympic ] qualifying year."
"Last year I had my back injury, this is kind of a go and see. "The first world cup is in two weeks. They're going to be a gauge of where I am and what I'm going to have to do for the worlds."
Osborne will be seeking a top-10 place at the worlds in September.
"There's not much difference between me and say fifth place, it's just being able to do it on the day. I know that I can do it. I've got four races and hopefully in one, or all four, I'll have a perfect day."
The trip is self-funded and Osborne will travel with fellow Waiariki Institute of Technology sports academy member, 2008 Olympian Lucca Jones.
Osborne has saved some $9000 for the European stint but admits he's a fair bit short of the $15,000 he estimates it will cost.
Osborne said the budget would allow for decent accommodation and good food during the events but it might be a bit different in between.
"It'll just effect how we live. We'll have to do a bit of camping," he said.
KAYAKING
If Aaron Osborne can get himself and his kayak to the Whitewater Slalom World Championships in one piece later this year, it'll go a long way to getting the Kiwi No 1 closer to an Olympic berth.
The Rotorua-based schoolteacher left for Europe yesterday on a "building year" campaign which will
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