Kayaker makes solid debut | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

Christchurch kayaker Liam O’Loughlin was thrown in at the deep end in the World Cup regattas in Europe.

Making his debut at this level, the 26-year-old Christchurch paddler was expecting to compete in the K4 and K2.

But the withdrawal of another New Zealand team member who was to have been his K2 partner meant O’Loughlin, the only South Islander in the team, was pitched in against the world’s best paddlers in the K1.

He finished 24th in the K1 1000 and 23rd in the 500 at Poznan, Poland, and improved to 16th in the 1000 and 18th in the 500 in the next round at Szeged, Hungary – impressive results for a novice at this level.

O’Loughlin only made his international debut this year in an event in Australia, and admitted he was nervous before his first K1 race.

“It was the first time I’d raced in a really big international regatta, and they had starting blocks there which you don’t have in New Zealand.

“However, each race I had I got a lot better and got more confident.”

He “learned heaps” which would stand him in good stead next year, he said.

A top surf lifesaver who started kayaking less than two years ago, O’Loughlin qualified for the world championships in Canada next month, but misses this trip because Steven Ferguson also qualified in the K1.

Now O’Loughlin’s sights are on grand prix events in Australia this summer, then a European campaign next year.

This will take in World Cup rounds in Vichy (France), Duisburg (Germany), and the 2012 Olympic course at Eton, and culminate in the world championships in Poznan.