Fouhy to paddle through to London 2012

Photo: Brendon O'Hagan

'PAIN IN THE BUTT': Kayaking legend Ian Ferguson is looking forward to coaching a national team minus the temperamental Ben Fouhy.

Relevant offers

Olympic Kayaker Ben Fouhy has recommitted to the sport after taking a year out to consider his options, citing a restructured high-performance programme as one of the reasons he has decided to paddle through to London 2012 Games.

The stage is now set for Fouhy and Steven Ferguson to go head-to-head, in the style of rowers Mahe Drysdale and Rob Waddell, for the coveted K1 1000m berth at next year's world championships and eventually in London.

But Fouhy also acknowledged there might be room for the pair to join forces in the K2 1000m event if they felt it would produce a better outcome for the national team.

Kayaking's new high performance boss Wayne Maher summed it up by saying kayaking's preference would be to win "one gold rather than two silver. As we get closer to London we will be making the call on where our best opportunity will be, we'll be targeting our most likely medal".

Fouhy and Ferguson have previously paddled a K2 but split after the Athens Olympics, Fouhy concentrating on the K1 1000m and Ferguson paddling the double with Mike Walker, as well as contesting the K1 500m.

The International Olympic Committee's decision to scrap the men's 500m events from the London 2012 programme, in favour of 200m events, now means Fouhy and Ferguson will be going head-to-head for the K1 spot.

Fouhy, who has been a brilliant but tortured competitor since winning the world title in his rookie season of 2003 and Olympic in silver in 2004, thought seriously about quitting the sport before making his return this month.

His fourth place at the Beijing Olympics was the culmination of a four-year cycle which had been as frustrating as it was rewarding.

"It is incredibly hard doing an Olympic campaign," Fouhy told the Sunday Star-Times.

"Unlike say, being All Black, you are not partially insulated by being part of a wider team, and nor are the financial rewards alone enough to make you want to stick it out another four years.

"You have to want to do it with every fibre of your body. I really needed clarity in order to know what to do. That breathing space was a bit of a gift to myself'."

IN THE lead-up to Beijing, Fouhy was something of a loner, operating largely outside the official New Zealand programme.

He looked hard at the high performance programmes that the Canadian and British teams provided, going as far as to train with his two main competitors Tim Brabants, in England, and Adam Van Koeverden, in Canada, seeing that a high performance framework was the difference between being good and being the best.

Fouhy did things his own way, figuring his best hopes for success lay outside the system. He was consistently in the world's top five, but was never entirely happy he was getting the most out of himself. "I didn't necessarily get it right in the right races on the right day, which is all that really counts in the end. But I managed to go faster than I have ever gone, including when I was world champion, so I still believed I was on the right track.

"But you cannot do it by yourself. Mentally it was draining and I think that was obvious."

Now with Maher on board, having come across from Rowing New Zealand, Fouhy can see things happening.

"In the past I've been more independent than I would have liked. But Canoe Racing New Zealand have started to bridge the gap between coaching and the whole high performance framework.We will hopefully now be able to try and emulate the success that cycling and rowing have enjoyed.

"The way Wayne has set things up I can see a programme I want to be a part of and I'm more involved in the team. There are some good ideas happening and I can benefit from that and hopefully the team can benefit from having me as a part of it. It's nice; refreshing."

One key element for Fouhy is the introduction of two sports scientists, exercise physiologist Joe McQuillan, and strength coach Dan Lavipour. "That means we're now integrating the best available knowledge with [coach] Ian Ferguson's coaching experience" Fouhy says.

While Fouhy has been the undisputed No1 Kiwi in the K1 over the past five years, he can see he will have his work cut out when it comes to duelling with Steve Ferguson for the seat in the K1.

"I have known Steve since 2002 and right now he's s paddling the best I've seen him. He's one of the most talented athletes I've ever met and the way he's training now it's very conceivable he could be a world champion it's going to be a real battle [between us]. But how great for the profile of the sport – it makes it more interesting to follow."

Fouhy says the K1 1000m is so competitive now with, by his estimation, "seven guys capable of winning", that it might be in New Zealand 's best interests to put Fouhy and Ferguson together in a K2 .

"If the if selectors think best outcome is the K2 1000m we might do that.

"No one ever criticised the Evers-Swindells for rowing a double ... there's something special about being in a singles boat but it's also tough."

- © Fairfax NZ News