Photo: RNZ / Calvin Samuel
Dame Lisa Carrington is back and she hasn't missed a beat.
The eight time Olympic champion is back with the elite Canoe Sprint squad after answering an SOS call from the national selectors.
Earlier this year Carrington decided she wouldn't compete internationally in 2025 but now is in northern Italy preparing for this month's World Championships.
She has replaced an injured Olivia Brett in the K4 boat.
General manager of performance for Canoe Racing New Zealand, Nathan Luce, said Carrington was delighted to be involved.
"When I picked her up from the airport it was like picking up a rookie," Luce told RNZ.
"She was excited to be back, like who wouldn't want to leave winter and be back on the water in 30 degrees and getting back into it with your team-mates and coaches and staff that you've known for all these years.
"So yes she's pretty excited."
This year Carrington has been considered a part of the training programme without the racing and so Luce has no concerns about her fitness.
"She didn't hesitate to get on that plane."
She has now had a few days back in the K4 with Alicia Hoskin, Tara Vaughan and Lucy Matehaere.
"She hasn't missed a beat and as you'd expect with someone of her calibre and experience it is a handy reserve to have in our programme."
Carrington won three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the K1, K2 and K4 boats.
The K4 crew in Paris was Carrington, Hoskin, Brett and Vaughan.
The 2025 Canoe Sprint World Championships are in Milan, Italy from 20-24 August.
Women's K4 sprint kayak crew from left: Dame Lisa Carrington, Tara Vaughan, Alicia Hoskin, and Olivia Brett with the trophy at the Halberg Awards at Spark Arena, in Auckland on 18 February 2025. Photo: Photosport / Alan Lee
New Zealand squad:
Aimee Fisher, Hawkes Bay Kayak Racing Club
Alicia Hoskin, North Shore Canoe Club
Emma Kemp, Mana Kayak Club
Finn Murphy, North Shore Canoe Club
Grant Clancy, North Shore Canoe Club
James Munro, Otago Kayak Racing Club
Kacey Ngataki, North Shore Canoe Club
Kalani Gilbertson, North Shore Canoe Club
Lucy Matehaere, Otago Kayak Racing Club
Olivia Brett, Arawa Canoe Club (replaced by Dame Lisa Carrington)
Quaid Thompson, Poverty Bay Kayak Club
Scott Martlew, Arawa Canoe Club
Tara Vaughan, North Shore Canoe Club.
