The canoe slalom world championships are just days away and a brand-new event could be set to boost New Zealand's medal count.
The competition will also serve as Olympic qualification and that's especially significant for four-time Olympian Luuka Jones, who is making a comeback following a brutal battle with long COVID.
Extreme canoe slalom will make its debut in Paris next year.
"You go from classic slalom when you're in a carbon fire boat, where you're racing against the clock and you're in charge of your own destiny, to this wild event where you're crashing into each other and jostling for position," explains Jones.
"You have to be really aggressive against people... it's a very different sport, honestly."
Jones – who won silver at Rio 2016 - thinks it could be New Zealand's medal ticket.
"In New Zealand, we have a history of extreme racing, we have a lot of paddlers who have done well in the past in the extreme events, and we have had some results on the world stage recently," she said.
"I think it's a really exciting event. I love that it's head-to-head, and I think it'll be an interesting one to watch for in Paris."
Next year, Jones hopes to compete at her fifth Olympic Games. The extreme slalom will be a fresh challenge for an athlete who's already had a very challenging build up due to long covid.
"At one stage, I thought I never would come back," Jones confessed.
"I went from a full-time athlete to the point where I couldn't even go for a walk without going to bed afterwards.
"It was terrible."
The 34-year-old is still having to carefully manage her training load. But after finishing sixth at the recent world cup in Spain, Jones is more determined than ever.
She'll enter next week's world championships in England, where Jones will have a chance to qualify spots for 2024's pinnacle in Paris.
"I'm coming into this world champs on the back of not the ideal season or preparation. But I have to remember, I have experience on my side.
"It's my 11th world champs, so that counts for a lot."
Paris will likely be her final race on the world stage and is set to be her most extreme yet.
