Lisa Carrington Wins in Czech Republic

Kiwi Olympic gold medallist Lisa Carrington again demonstrated her strength & prowess, taking out the K1 500 at the second World Cup regatta in the Czech Republic last night.

Carrington, who won the K1 200 at the London Olympics, showed her versatility by winning an event she is merely testing out as an extra challenge.

It's fair to say the tests are going rather well and after taking out the B final at the opening World Cup regatta in Hungary earlier this month, Carrington went one better in Racice. What a difference a week makes.

Her coach Gordon Walker (NZL) attributed last week’s disappointing performance to fatigue from traveling. Meanwhile, Carrington just put it down to inexperience over the longer distance. Whatever the reason, it is certain she is now a formidable opponent in over both the K1 Olympic distances.

After winning the fastest semifinal to earn the top lane, Carrington blitzed the field in 1m 48.55s, winning by more than two seconds. She will attempt to make it a golden double in her favoured sprint event, with the heats raced overnight.
Carrington's feats went unmatched by the two other Kiwi crews who made A finals, with Ben Fouhy finishing seventh in the K1 1000, and Teneale Hatton and Rachael Dodwell also crossing the line in seventh in the K2 500.

It was still an impressive performance from the newly-formed women's crew, racing together this season for the first time after Hatton went to the London Olympics in a solo boat.