Aimee Fisher wants to continue focusing on the K1 but could join a team boat. Photo / photosport.nz
Aimee Fisher wants to continue focusing on the K1 but could join a team boat. Photo / photosport.nz
Canoe Racing New Zealand hope to see Aimee Fisher back in a team boat at the 2024 Olympics but will take a step-by-step approach with the 27-year-old.
Fisher gave another reminder of her prowess during the K1 500m selection duel with Dame Lisa Carrington that captivated the nation.
The 2021world champion pushed Carrington harder than anyone has done over the last few years, in three remarkably close races.
The five-time Olympic gold medallist eventually prevailed, to gain world championship selection, but the series underlined Fisher's status among female paddlers in this country.
She could be a game changer in a future K2 or K4 crew, but Fisher has trained outside the CRNZ high performance squad since 2020, after she withdrew following a stand off over athlete welfare concerns.
CRNZ chief executive Tom Ashley said that having Fisher back in a team boat would be a massive boost.
"Not just for me or CRNZ - it would be an amazing thing for New Zealand and New Zealand sport," Ashley told the Herald on Sunday. "But obviously Aimee has a big say in that as well. We are keen to keep building the relationship, and make sure we are here to support our athletes to do what they want to do.
"She is an outstanding athlete; we are supportive of what she is doing and our job is to help the athletes achieve their ambitions. So as much as we might like Aimee to be in the programme, it is going to be up to her."
Fisher was part of the K4 500m crew who finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was also in the foursome that took silver at the 2018 world championships, finishing one hundredth of a second behind the powerhouse Hungarian crew, before the Kiwi quartet finished fourth the following year.
Aimee Fisher pushed Lisa Carrington to the limit during their showdown. Photo / photosport.nz
Fisher's current focus is the K1 – after her giant strides over the last 18 months – and she indicated on Thursday she plans to remain outside the centralised programme. However Ashley said the door would remain open.
"Our K1 policy has always allowed athletes to be outside the program so absolutely no barrier there," said Ashley. "With crew boats there is a requirement to train together but some flexibility there as well. We are willing to discuss what that would look like."
Ashley is hopeful that relationships continue to build and pointed to the obvious mutual respect between Carrington and Fisher, with the pair displaying outstanding sportsmanship throughout the series.
There has been some criticism of the best-of-three format – especially after Fisher won the national championship by claiming the first race - but Ashley said that system had mostly been in place across K1 trials since 2018 and was the most objective.
"Domestic selection is by far the most stressful scenario for any athlete, much more than international racing," said Ashley. "Having it all on the line for a single race is an incredibly tough thing to go into and we need to manage that burden as well. There are pros and cons with any scenario but we want a process that is as fair and clear as possible."
With the golden glow from the Tokyo Olympics, as well as Fisher's triumph in Denmark last September, the events of the last week at Lake Karapiro were another shot in the arm for the sport.
"To have an in-house trial race televised live and hundreds of people at the lake to watch was just outstanding," said Ashley.
"There was a lot of interest in the series, which was fantastic for the profile of the sport and really exciting that we have such talent. No doubt that will inspire some more young people."
