Canoe racing: Coach Gordon Walker backs Dame Lisa Carrington to succeed despite tight World Championships schedule

Lisa Carrington has a packed scheduled at the World Championships. Photo / AP

Long-time coach Gordon Walker is backing Dame Lisa Carrington to again find her best when it matters, despite an arduous schedule at the Canoe Racing World Championships in Canada.

On Sunday morning (NZ time) Carrington faces two finals little more than an hour apart, before backing up the following day with the two more deciders within another short interval.

It's not quite as hectic as her feats in Tokyo last year – which were compounded by the Japanese summer heat and the pressure of the Olympics – but will still be a test of resilience for the 33-year-old, who has already raced six times at the competition.

On day four of the competition Carrington will line up with Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan in the women's K4 500m final, set to go at 11.10am (2.10am Sunday NZ time).

After that gut busting half kilometre, Carrington will have minimal time to warm down and recover before refocusing for the K1 500m, which is probably her most physically demanding race, at 12.21pm (3.21am NZ).

"It is very tight," agreed Walker. "Especially after the K4, which can be a very tough event. But she has done it before and we are well aware of the challenge. We just have to see how she can do."

Carrington has looked in good shape so far.

Although it is always hard to get a read, as the top paddlers tend to hold something back before the final, she will still be the one to beat in both solo events.

She hasn't lost a K1 200m race since 2011 (seven successive world championships and three Olympic golds) and has been imperious in the K1 500m since 2019.

"She has looked excellent," said Walker. "In terms of her paddling, the way she is moving and how she feels, she is about where you would expect her to be. At the same time it's a very big job ahead to get ready for a final and put all your hard work into practice in a very short space of time."

On Monday, Carrington has the final of her signature K1 200m event at 2:03am (NZ time), before teaming up with Hoskin for the K2 500m finale less than two hours later (3:47am).

Carrington and Hoskin are a new combination – since the retirement of Tokyo gold medallist Caitlin Ryan – and have looked promising, though the Polish duo of Karolina Naja and Anna Pulawska will be the favourites.

"They got silver in Tokyo and are definitely the crew to beat," said Walker. "They gave Lisa and Caitlin a very good challenge in Tokyo and we all know how good those two were. [Poland] are a world class crew."

Walker identified the young German combination as another threat.

Paralympian Scott Martlew achieved New Zealand's first medal of the championships with an impressive effort in the KL 200m final on Saturday morning to grab bronze.

"We are absolutely rapt for him," said Walker. "He has worked really hard. He came fourth in Tokyo and one of the guys that medalled [there] was behind him today so he will be pleased with his performance and I am sure he is hungry for more."

Fellow para-athlete Corbin Hart was another standout, achieving fifth in a blanket finish in the KL3 200m A final.

"It was pretty close and an outstanding effort from Corbin," said Walker. "He has gone from 13th [at the Olympics] to 5th. Quite remarkable, he has improved a heck of a lot."

Max Brown and Kurtis Imrie missed the cut for the A-final and will race in the B-final on Monday morning (NZT), with solo paddlers James Munro (K1 1000m) and Ashton Reiser (K1 200m and K1 500m) also in consolation finals, along with the rookie men's K4 500m crew.