Burbidge joins forces with Olympic kayaker
BY TONY BIRD
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Taranaki born and raised kayaker Troy Burbidge has teamed up with Beijing Olympian Steven Ferguson to compete at the World Cup events and the World Championships in Europe later this year.
Burbidge, 29, is based in Auckland and after the national trials on Lake Karapiro last week was named in the New Zealand team for the K2 1000 along with Ferguson.
"That was my goal to race with (Ferguson), but things didn't work out so now I've got my chance to get to race with him internationally which is awesome," Burbidge said last weekend on a visit "home" to catch up with his parents and friends in New Plymouth.
Steven Ferguson finished sixth in the men's K2 1000m with Mike Walker and eighth in the K1 500m at 2008 Beijing Games.
Burbidge missed out on selection for Beijing and took a break from the sport soon after the disappointment.
His comeback saw him achieve his career highlight so far, reaching the the final of the K2 1000 at last year's World Championships in Nova Scotia. Paddling with Aucklander Scott Bicknell, the duo finished eighth, importantly qualifying them for a Sparc grant of $40,000.
Burbidge is thinking gold by teaming up with Ferguson who he said had significantly more speed on the water than any of his previous team mates.
Olympic four-time gold medallist Ian Ferguson, father of Steven, will coach the duo.
"We will sit down with Ferg on Monday and layout our goals and how we're going about achieving them.
" I know together we will be up to world class and I'm really looking forward to racing with him."
Burbidge left New Plymouth where he worked for a electrical wholesaler and trained on the Waitara river and headed to Auckland in 2003, combining a fulltime employment with training.
With his World Championship placing, Burbidge has been able to train fulltime which he said had been a big load off his mind.
New Zealand representative canoeists can look forward to two trips to compete for New Zealand in Europe this year.
"In May we go overseas and and race two World Cup regattas in France and Germany," Burbidge said.
"We come back and regroup and train for a couple of months and head back to Poland for the World Championships in August.
"That's our major focus for the year and from there we have to get the good result we need to keep the funding coming in."
The Worlds in 2011 is the window of opportunity for New Zealand canoeists to qualify for the London Olympics in 2012.
"We start building from now for that," Burbidge said.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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