Kayaking: Fouhy returns to fold

Ben Fouhy has been missing the sport 'terribly'. Photo / APN

Controversial kayaker Ben Fouhy is back on the water.

In a dramatic u-turn, the Olympic medallist has returned to the sport, just months after a very public, and somewhat bitter, retirement.

Canoe Racing New Zealand has officially welcomed him back to the fold and it's likely he will be eligible to race in August's world championships.

CRNZ will meet Sparc this week to formalise arrangements, but CRNZ CEO Paula Kearns said it was unlikely Fouhy would be able to train apart from the rest of the national squad, as he did briefly last year before Sparc ended the unique funding arrangement.

"His selection will be up to the national panel," said Kearns, "but he will be part of one national squad."

Fouhy will need to serve a six-month stand down as part of international drug testing procedures, and that period will finish just in time for the world championships. Before that he will not be able to enter international events, but should be able to compete in national competitions.

Despite 32-year-old Fouhy's chequered past, Kearns said the news was overwhelmingly positive for the sport.

"It is still his passion. He loves the sport," she said. "He is a very talented athlete who has performed at the highest level. I hope this time everyone lets him get a clear run at what he needs to do without the circus that seems to go around him. He just wants to get back in the boat."

Fouhy contacted Kearns several weeks ago about his desire to return and was instructed he needed to put his request in writing.

CRNZ and the International Canoeing Union formally ratified his comeback in February.

The last remaining step is for Drug Free NZ, who will take their lead from WADA, to confirm the procedures Fouhy must follow to get back on the drug testing and whereabouts list.

Since his retirement in January, Fouhy has kept himself occupied renovating his house. He has also kept up a strict training regime, as he was initially tipped to pursue a career in ironman.

He has been swimming regularly under the instruction of ex-triathlon champion Ric Wells and has done plenty of cycling and running. The work has seen him drop about 4kg from his usual kayaking weight of around 85kg and he will be focused on regaining some bulk.

In the past few weeks, he has been spotted in his kayak training alone at Lake Pupuke, at different times to the national squads.

When Fouhy announced his dramatic exit, he seemed a man at the end of his tether. A close friend confirmed he felt betrayed by Sparc, which had, amid much fanfare and explanation, initially given the green light to his solo training initiative only to reverse their decision months later. He was also at the centre of an acrimonious feud with former coaches Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald that became public and his desire to train alone was not welcomed by some national team-mates.

Since then, however, Fouhy has been "missing the sport terribly", according to a close friend.

Time has clearly left a void in the notoriously competitive Fouhy. The fact Ferguson and MacDonald are now less involved in the national programme might have also made the decision easier and more viable.

Fouhy missed the recent national trials but Kearns confirmed this would not preclude him from being eligible for world championships selection. Kearns has already informed Sparc of the development but will meet formally this week to work through the arrangements around Fouhy's future programme.

Fouhy was unavailable for comment.