The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)/Australian canoe sprint team are currently being put through their paces at a training camp at Mermaid Waters on the Gold Coast.

The team are in the middle of rigorous on-water and gym training, as well as cross-training sessions, until 24 April, in preparation for the year’s first international events.

This year the Australian senior team will be competing in the first (8–10 May 2009 in Račice, Czech Republic) and third (5–7 June in Szeged, Hungary) canoe sprint World Cup events before moving on to the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, in Canada in August.

Given that this has been Australia’s most exciting domestic season to date — following Australia’s most successful Olympic Games campaign — there is much excitement at the camp about the upcoming world championships.

2008 AIS Athlete of the Year Ken Wallace will be looking to reinstate his mark in the K1, adding a world championship title to his 2008 Olympic gold and bronze medals.

The women’s K4 team will also be in good form going into the world championships to challenge Germany and Hungary who currently hold first and second position in the world. With Chantal Meek retiring, Jo Brigden-Jones and Alana Nicholls are currently competing for the fourth spot on the crew alongside Lisa Russ, Lyndsie Fogarty and Hannah Davis.

For now all eyes will be eagerly focused on the young Manly paddlers, Murray Stewart and Jo Brigden-Jones, as they take on the world’s best in the World Cup competitions.