Steven Ferguson says he is exactly were he wants to be 18 months out from the 2012 Olympics.
Ferguson was competing in the New Zealand Canoe Sprint Championships on Sunday on Lake Tikitapu.
More than 170 paddlers took part in the three-day event. This year's regatta was held in conjunction with the Oceania Canoe Sprint Championship, attracting paddlers from Samoa, Tahiti, the Cook Islands and Australia.
Ferguson had a successful weekend and with next year's London Games in his sights he was happy with how his preparations were going to try to make the Olympic team.
"It's quite exciting, in K1 I'm right on where I'm expecting to be. But in K2 I'm further than that. I didn't expect to have found a K2 partner who works so well with me. He's a real raw talent and I know I can rely on him to give 110 per cent every time. At the end of a race we're dying and he's always pushing hard. He never gives in."
Ferguson competed in the singles 200m and 1000m as well as the two-man 200m and 1000m with his K2 partner, Poverty Bay's Darryl Fitzgerald.
It was a successful weekend for Ferguson in both singles and doubles. In the K2 1000m the pair clocked a world-class time.
"As a single it went really good. I learned quite a bit, coming into this event I wasn't quite sure how I was going but got some good times in both K1 1000m and K1 200m," Ferguson said.
"I'm more excited about the K2, not too many in the world are getting that sort of time - only a handful. So it's quite exciting and great motivation knowing that we're on the right track and can keep plugging away with that."
The 30-year-old did not haveit all his own way yesterdaywith the Australians taking theK1 and K2 200m races.
"In the K2 a screw popped out of my foot press. It wouldn't have changed the result, I don't think. It was a good race and I really enjoyed it," Ferguson said.
"Darryl and I are quite new to the shorter racing, so we haven't really learned to control our rate at this stage.
"The Aussies are a good K2 crew so full credit to them. We're still national champions and second in the Oceania champs."
Ferguson said that with New Zealand trials coming up later in the year he was hoping to do well there and was keen to go to the Australian nationals but did not have the funding at this stage.
Results:
Open MK1 1000m final: Steven Ferguson 3min 30.79sec, Troy Burbidge 3min 32.42sec, Darryl Fitzgerald 3min 32.84sec, Liam O'Loughlin 3min 33.35sec, Mike Walker 3min 36.42sec, Glenn Rypp 3min 37.30sec, Chad Alston 3min 37.88sec, Jasper Bats 3min 44.91sec
Open MK1 200m final: Matt Goble (Aust) 35.70sec, Steven Ferguson 35.95sec, Scott Bicknell 36.24sec, Liam O'Loghlin 36.60sec, Chris Nutsford 36.64sec, Darryl Fitzgerald 37.22sec, Glen Rypp 37.51sec, Sam Wilson 37.70sec, Troy Burbidge 45.48sec
Open MK2 200m final: Matt Goble and Chad Alston (Aust) 32.57sec, Steven Ferguson and Darryl Fitzgerald 32.77sec, Scott Bicknell and William Wilkin 33.84sec, Liam O'Loughlin and Troy Burbidge 34.33sec, Steven Drabble and Chris Nutsford 35.13sec, Sam Newlands and Richard Forbes 35.13, Simon Trotter and Sam Wilson 35.27sec.
Win keeps Ferguson on course for Games
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