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[Editor: New Zealander Katie Pocock has had a great season, winning the women's category of every big race she's entered including the Dubai Shamaal and the Perth World Cup. She's about to defend her title in this weekend's King of the Harbour. Chris Laughlin from Epic Kayaks put together this profile.]
 Katie Pocock - #1 ranked female surfski paddler (Pic: www.sportzhub.com)
New Zealand paddler Katie Pocock is the current #1 ranked woman on the World Series Circuit, and the latest member of the Epic Ocean Racing Team.
How did you get started in paddling? At what age?
Katie: I have been dragged to the surf club for as long as I can remember, my dad was the local junior surf coach so I use to hang out with him. But I physically paddled my first surf ski at the tender age of 14.
Who was your biggest influence/role model?
Katie: The beauty of this sport is that you are continuously bumping into world class athletes, so different people are always inspiring me with their professionalism, their tenacity, their passion and humility. But if I am to single out people who have "influenced" my paddling the most then it would have to be my coaches. Katrina Egan coached me for eight years and taught me to aim high. When I was a podgy 17 year old, she guided me to the 2000 World Championship Surf Ski title in Australia - she was awesome. And more recently my brother Jason Pocock has started coaching me - he has really sound knowledge in physiology and programming, knows my history and understands better than anyone how I paddle. He is an amazing motivator and if it wasn't for his contribution over the last few years I can say with complete honesty I wouldn't be racing internationally anymore.
How has flat-water paddling in the K1 helped your ski paddling?
Katie: Flat-water paddling is a very disciplined sport. So more than anything else it has taught me the value of structured, consistent training on and off the water. I definitely developed much of my strength and aerobic base as a K1 paddler, which I think is one of my biggest assets as an ocean paddler, particularly compared to my competitors.
What is a typical workout like on the boat? What kind of cross-training do you do?
Katie: We don't get consistent downwind conditions here in NZ, so the bulk of my paddle training sessions involve intervals of varying lengths (an example of the flat water influence!) I also run a lot and squeeze in the odd cycle session on my road bike with some of the guys from work.
The prize purses have been growing steadily at the big races. What are your goals now that there's a bit of money in the sport?
Katie: Like the bulk of paddlers on the circuit I am keen to earn as much money as I can! Having said that, I see prize money as an outcome of preparing, training and racing well. I have always tried hard not to focus on the result as much as the process, so my main goal is to be the best ocean paddler I can be. I want to decrease my margin percentage behind the guys and increase it in front of the women. These are exciting times in ocean paddling and I want to be at the forefront of it all.
How do we get more women involved in the sport?
Katie: We need to provide more support for women paddlers, promote the current winners more, increase the equality of prize money, have more women involved in the coaching, management and organizing of the individual races and the guardianship of the sport in general. I think the initiatives that Dean Gardener introduced in Perth were absolutely brilliant - having men and women fighting it out together is defiantly a step in the right direction. The reality is that it is a very complicated issue that won't be solved overnight, but I personally am very proud of the commitment that the sport is making to get more women involved, I just hope that they keep pushing to improve things even more!
Do you have any particular and specific goals for 2008?
Katie: My big goal is Molokai in May. I went over and raced this event in 2005 and was taught a lesson. I lost my support boat for 90 minutes, went for four swims, lost a drink system and two hats - it was a very traumatic 4 and half hours on the ocean for me, so going back in 2008 is a little bit like facing my demons! I am looking forward to paddling an Epic boat across the channel and I want to be closer to 4 hours 10 minutes - if I can do that it should be sipping pina-coladas on Oahu! The rest of the season is just about more wins and better percentages. I know that there will be some more depth in the women's field once the Olympics have finished in August. I am looking forward to some tough battles with the likes of Nikki Mocke later in the year. But I started off 2008 ranked number one, and I intend to be in the same spot come Christmas!
 Katie Pocock wins the NZ Champs 2008
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I am looking to buy a paddle what do you use? Thanks for your story and i wish you all the best for the future and for the next lot of challenges. Please write your story about the molokai race in surf ski info, as i am looking forward to reading it. Teresa