New Zealand’s sprint kayak team lands in Hungary this weekend for the opening World Cup of 2026, and the stakes are already high. The Szeged event, running Friday 8 to Sunday 10 May, marks the first real test of the Olympic qualification campaign, with ranking points up for grabs at the legendary Maty-ér venue.
Aimee Fisher leads the women’s charge in the K1 500m, while Quaid Thompson flies the flag in both the men’s K1 1000m and K1 5000m. The K4 crews are particularly strong: the women’s boat of Fisher, Olivia Brett, Greer Morley, and Lucy Matehaere, plus the men’s team of James Munro, Kurtis Imrie, Hamish Legarth, and Grant Clancy. The men also field two K2 pairings in the 500m sprint.
For Kiwi viewers, Sky Sport is broadcasting races across the weekend, with full live coverage also available through Planet Canoe’s YouTube channel. A monthly membership there costs $16.99 and gives you access to members-only content throughout the season. The action kicks off tomorrow night at 7.00pm NZT, with the men’s and women’s K4 heats arriving around 8.30pm our time, followed by semifinals just before midnight.
Aimee Fisher’s K1 heat comes through at 1.36am NZT on Saturday morning, with Quaid Thompson’s K1 1000m heat at 3.12am. Semi-finals for both events follow in the early hours. Live results are streaming at results.szeged2026.com throughout the weekend, and Canoe Racing NZ will be posting updates on Instagram and Facebook as the competition unfolds.
