Aimee Fisher has claimed an upset win over Olympic gold medallist Dame Lisa Carrington in the women's K1 500 final at the national canoe sprint championships.
Fisher, 27, beat Dame Lisa by 0.8s at Lake Karapiro to claim first blood in the first of three races to decide who will represent New Zealand at the world championships later this year.
The reigning world champion trailed by over a boat-length early in the race, before charging home late to edge the five-time Olympic gold medallist.
Fisher won last year's world K1 500 title at Copenhagen, with Carrington bypassing the event, after her historic three gold-medal haul in the K1 500, K1 200 and the K2 500 at the Tokyo Olympics.
Fisher made herself unavailable for last year's Olympics, due to an ongoing disagreement with Canoe Racing NZ over athlete welfare.
Carrington, who's traditionally stronger over shorter distances, was quick to congratulate her rival, who added another notch to her reputation on the world stage.
Two-time Olympian Teneale Hatton came in third.
