Kiwi ready to paddle home

By DANIEL GILHOOLY | Tuesday, 12 August 2008

English-based slalom kayaker Luuka Jones is strongly considering a return to live in Tauranga, even if it slows a career that has taken her all the way to these Olympic Games.

Jones, 20, will make history tomorrow when she becomes the first New Zealand woman to compete in the discipline, tackling a brutal man-made course sure to test all 21 paddlers in her field.

Ranked 71st in the world, she isn't expected to challenge for a medal and openly admits the next Olympics in London are a more realistic goal.

However, before then she may well up sticks from her base in Nottingham where she trains alongside the British national team.

Two factors may bring about the mood.

Firstly her standard two-year British holiday visa will expire next year and Jones is unsure if it can be extended.

And secondly, her time ensconsed in the athletes' Olympic Village had made her seriously homesick.

"I was blown away about how welcomed I felt by the other New Zealand athletes," she said.

"I wasn't sure whether I missed New Zealand when I arrived here but now I realised that I do miss home.

"I've become a lot more patriotic since I got here."

Jones said it was the best decision of her life to go to England as she had no coach in New Zealand and very little financial support.

Those problems would resurface if she returns but she hoped to get by competing in Australia for a couple of summers before returning to England two years out from the London Games.

Ideally she would link again with her British coach Tim Baillee, who is with her in Beijing.

Jones hoped her Games appearance would attract other New Zealanders to a sport she said is as exciting as it is technically challenging.

She believed every paddler, including world No 1 Stepanka Hilgertova of the Czech Republic, would battle to master the u-shaped 280 course. It is notable for its unpredictable and torrential currents which will make negotiation of the gates extremely challenging.

Two runs will determine the top 16 for the following day's semifinals, where the 10 women for the final will be determined.

Two men have represented New Zealand in the sport.

Owen Hughes was 31st at Atlanta in 1996 and Donald Johnstone 25th at Barcelona four years earlier.

Neither of them paddled in front of the 3000 capacity who packed into steepling stands to watch the start of men's competition yesterday.

Jones relished the likely atmosphere and believed it would inspire rather than overawe her.

Meanwhile, the former Otumoetai College student revealed her mother Denise named her Luuka after the son of former US actress Audrey Hepburn, of whom she was a fan.

"Mum also wanted to name me something unusual so no one else was called it," Jones said.

"I think she did a good job"