Aimee Fisher underlined her status as a top solo paddler. Photo / Photosport
Aimee Fisher underlined her status as a top solo paddler. Photo / Photosport
Aimee Fisher doesn’t know what her immediate kayaking future looks like, but will return to New Zealand immensely satisfied with her World Cup campaign in Hungary.
On Saturday Fisher again underlined her status as one of the world’s top solo paddlers, claiming a silver medal in the K1 500 metresfinal after an extraordinary duel with Dame Lisa Carrington.
On such a stage, it was a great moment for the sport as the two Kiwis produced a fantastic race, with daylight back to the rest of the field.
Carrington managed her traditional blazing start, and had more than a boatlength on Fisher at the halfway point. It looked insurmountable for the Hawke’s Bay product but Fisher came home strong in the last 200m, with Carrington showing her class and tenacity to hang on, crossing the line just 0.37 seconds ahead.
“I’m really happy,” Fisher told the Herald. “Coming second could be disappointing or could hurt but I executed my plan and that’s all I ask for. It was a privilege to be part of such a great contest.”
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Fisher, who is known for her strong finish, admitted it was a mental test. As Carrington and several other paddlers flew out of the blocks, she resisted the temptation to up her stroke rate too early.
“Off the start I could feel that I was a little bit behind,” said Fisher. “I was just thinking, ‘Trust the process, long game, play to your strengths’. So with about 200 to go I was like, ‘OK, I feel good, I can push home’. I nearly timed it to perfection.”
The race was much closer than their two domestic meetings last month, where Carrington finished more than a length ahead in both. It demonstrated Fisher’s power and finishing thrust but also Carrington’s incredible competitiveness, especially as the 33-year-old has had a much larger workload in Hungary, with her K2 500 and K4 500 pursuits.
Lisa Carrington and Aimee Fisher with their World Cup medals.
It was also a landmark for Fisher. After training outside the Canoe Racing New Zealand (CRNZ) environment since June 2020, she returned to the fold for this trip. So what’s next?
“I don’t know what happens from here,” said Fisher. “I guess back home there will be conversations between CRNZ and myself, figuring out where to from here and what that might look like. At this point I have no idea but I am sure we will figure it out.”
On this form, Fisher would be a strong podium contender in the K1 500 at the Olympics next year but her path to a potential Paris spot isn’t straightforward.
It depends how many boats New Zealand qualify, which then determines how many athletes can be selected. CRNZ hope that Fisher could be part of the selection trials for the K2 or K4 boats next year, given her quality.
Fisher, who was in the K4 500 quartet at the Rio Olympics, has only competed in K1 events in recent years but is open to the idea of being part of a crew again.
“I’m certainly interested,” said Fisher. “I guess it depends on how they see this thing working and what the pathways forward are.”
Fisher’s decision to join this trip was a milestone moment and her experience in Hungary had been a positive one.
“It was pretty confronting at the start, the idea of coming over here and rejoining the team after such a long time, but it has been good,” said Fisher. “I’ve had a lot of support from CRNZ and a lot of support around coaching and access to some of the technology and data analysis, which has been massive in preparing, in terms of executing the race plan.
“It’s been really beneficial. There has been some hard moments too but it was cool to be able to bring all of that together and put it out there on the water.”
