Strong performances on the water have seen a strong contingent of Bay of Plenty paddlers added to New Zealand's Canoe Slalom teams for five world cup events and the Rio Olympics qualification competition.

Top paddlers such as Luuka Jones in the K1 women and K1 male competitor, Mike Dawson, are named after significant results in the last 12 months which puts them within reach of the medals.

Mike Dawson in action. Photo: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

The majority of athletes are based in the Bay, however there are several based in the South Island in Otago, Southland and Nelson as the sport gains traction in different areas.

The athletes named for the competitions gained their places as a result of NZ Oceania Champs held recently where the men's and women's favourites Dawson from Okere Falls, Rotorua and Jones (Canoe Slalom BOP) didn't exactly have things their own way.

Dawson was chased hard by Callum Gilbert from Bay of Plenty and Jones was given a 50-second penalty, which made things easy for Under-23 paddler Jane Nicolas (Bay of Plenty) to take the top placing.

Three athletes in each class will have the opportunity to contest the 2015 World Champs being held, at Lee Valley, and the Olympic course in London in September. This event is the first Olympic qualifier with a top-16 nation finish required to earn an opportunity for Olympic selection.

'Mike Dawson and Luuka Jones are our top paddlers and with HPSNZ support and coach Campbell Walsh, Canoe Slalom NZ has great hopes for them this year,” says Canoe Slalom NZ national performance manager Sue Clarke.

Athletes in the next level down belong to the National Performance Programme and are coached by NZ head coach Aaron Osborne.

The program is now into its third year and some huge improvements can be seen in the younger paddlers coming through, says Clarke.

She adds that more thought going into various pathways for athletes will help the sport.

'There is now greater retention once they move on to work or tertiary education,” says Sue. 'The challenge now is to get them enough competition on international standard white water courses, so hence the importance of the overseas tours.

'The imminent opening of the artificial white water course, WERO in Manukau, will be a game changer for the sport and something that is eagerly awaited by the NZ team.”