Jones tests new waters in surf

Jamie Troughton | 11th March 2010

Big, wild water doesn't faze Olympic kayaker Luuka Jones - provided she's tucked up in a small plastic boat with a spray skirt and a helmet.

Chuck her in the ocean on a 6m length of fibreglass and it's a different story, however.

The Rotorua-based Tauranga paddler will make her first foray into serious surf lifesaving tomorrow when she competes for Mount Maunganui at the NZCT national championships in Whakatane.

The black sands and swells of Ohope Beach are a long way from the purpose-built whitewater slalom courses she's used to running but a pleasing forecast is at least giving her confidence.

"I'm a bit nervous actually, although I'm pretty stoked the surf has been dropping all week," Jones said. "I was over at the surf club on Sunday at the Mount and the surf was awesome - it was pretty interesting just watching and I'm glad I wasn't out in it!"

It's not a fulltime switch for the 21-year-old but a handy bit of cross-training for her upcoming slalom campaigns in Europe.

- See today's Bay of Plenty Times for full story.