New Zealand paddler Alicia Hoskin is hoping to form a lasting combination with legend Dame Lisa Carrington.
The pair competed together for the first time in claiming bronze in the K2 500 at last weekend's World Cup regatta in the Czech Republic and will compete again at the second World Cup in Poland this weekend.
Alicia Hoskin Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Hoskin has been the junior member of the team for the last year, but with a couple of retirements she's now being looked at as the future of the sport for the next Olympic cycle.
The 22 year old competed at her first Olympics in Tokyo last year finishing fourth in the K4 500 and made the B final of the K2 500.
Now the Gisborne paddler has teamed up with Carrington in the K2 500.
"It's such an awesome opportunity and I feel extremely grateful to be paddling with Lisa, she offers so much experience and I'm learning so much with her even though I've been in the team with her for a number of years now," said Hoskin.
It is also a new situation for Carrington who has now moved from the front of the boat to the back.
"I haven't stroked for Lisa for a really long time so we're still learning and finding ways to use our speed and how best we work together.
"Using her speed means we can fly off the start line and then I'm really just trying to optimize her down the course using her power, so it's awesome.
"Lisa is the engine to what I'm setting up (as the stroke) so my role is a bit more technical and Lisa is pure power and speed."
Being that close to New Zealand's most successful Olympian isn't lost on Hoskin.
"It's awesome, I love it."
Hoskin says she's enjoying the challenge of her new role and the pressure that comes with it and is gaining in confidence during this World Cup campaign.
NZ K4 at the Tokyo Olympics Photo: AFP
"I'm just trying to soak up as much as I can from the time I have with Lisa.
"You can never take for granted what she has achieved and so we're always trying to learn from her.
Hoskin and Carrington along with 18 year old Tara Vaughn and Olivia Brett made the K4 final last weekend.
The aim is to finalise the best combinations ahead of the World Championships in Canada in August.
"We're using the world cup's to trial a few different combinations and seats, working out ways to optimize each other and get the best out of each other.
Last weekend's Czech regatta was their first international event together and Hoskin is sure they can take plenty of that into the Poland competition this weekend.
"We took a lot of confidence from that and we nailed down a few things that really worked for us as a crew while we're also looking at a few opportunities we can take into this weekend that will hopefully make us faster."
New Zealand canoe sprint team at World Cup regattas in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Women's Kayak
Olivia Brett (Arawa Canoe Club)
Lisa Carrington (Eastern Bay Canoe Club)
Alicia Hoskin (North Shore Canoe Club)
Tara Vaughan (North Shore Canoe Club)
Men's Kayak
Max Brown (Whanganui Kayak and Multisport Club)
Ben Duffy (Arawa Canoe Club)
Zach Ferkins (Poverty Bay Canoe Club)
Kurtis Imrie (Mana Kayak Club)
Hamish Legarth (Hawkes Bay Kayak Racing Club)
Ben McCallum (Waitara Kayak Club)
James Munro (Otago Kayak Racing Club)
Ashton Reiser (North Shore Canoe Club)
Quaid Thompson (Poverty Bay Kayak Club)