Erica Taylor is all about options.

She certainly offers plenty of options for the Timaru Rowing Club at this week's National Rowing Championships on Lake Ruataniwha, but the option to compete at all was not an easy one.

The Craighead year 13 pupil has been battling a tendon injury in her left arm for most of the season. However, being involved in four crews this week, there is little time for her to worry about the state of the injury.

She was told she would not compete at the Nationals after it flared up at the South Island Club Championships a fortnight ago.

"I've had an MRI [scan] done on it but I'm still waiting on the results ... I'm sick of waiting and doing nothing."

Taylor is too modest to admit it, but she is the heart of the Craighead team and after winning three previous gold medals at the Maadi Cup National Secondary School regatta, she would love to add a fourth next month in her final opportunity.

As for the nationals, a medal in the club eight would be ideal after their strong heat victory on Tuesday.

"If we medal in the eight, that would be perfect, we just have to make sure [the other crews] weren't conserving energy."

Taylor also has choices to make on where she studies next year and how her rowing fits in.

She said she had been in discussions with a coach in the United States about combining her education and rowing, but nothing had been confirmed.

Taylor may be carrying injuries and expectation but it's her hidden competitive nature that should see her achieve her goals.

"I try to be the one in the squad who doesn't get nervous before a race.

"[Team-mate] Emma Dyke and I, when we bike down to rowing, she'll get half a tyre-length in front of me and we'll end up racing all the way to training just because we want to get there as quick as we can."

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- © Fairfax NZ News

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