Taris Harker added to World Champs team

After reviewing further information Taris Harker has been added to the New Zealand team to compete in the K1 200m at the ICF World Championships in Copenhagen from Sept 16-19.

CRNZ will decide in the next several weeks whether to enter athletes to this event, using our Covid-19 Travel Decision Framework and following consultation with the athletes concerned. In particular, we will look closely at:

• • The risk of catching Covid-19, and its effects on both health and future athletic performance
• • CRNZ’s responsibility and duty of care for athletes, coaches and support staff who travel (CRNZ is a PCBU under NZ health and safety legislation, so is legally responsible for our people’s health and safety)
• • The likelihood of the team getting fully vaccinated before travel (the general population vaccine rollout will begin in July and we would not be able to guarantee access to vaccination for all team members – only the Olympic team qualifies for advance vaccination under the “Event of National Significance” scheme)
• • NZ Government advice (currently “do not travel”)
• • The development opportunity that the events present, and the impact of the opportunities on future performance
• • Athletes’ wellbeing and the negative effect of not competing at the events
• • Availability and cost of MIQ places on return home
• • Possibility of quick return home in case of illness or emergency (MIQ facilities are limited and the government has advised that they will not give special treatment to athletes, and if team members test positive for Covid-19 they will be unable to return home until returning a negative test)
• • Current Covid-19 transmission rates and trends at locations and air transit hubs
• • The likelihood of becoming infected in transit to-and from the events (in airplanes and domestic ground travel)
• • Robustness of safety plans at the events, and likelihood of compliance with those plans
• • Availability of satisfactory healthcare if team members become ill or injured (many countries’ health systems have been overwhelmed with Covid cases and therefore less able to treat other illnesses, although this situation is improving in recent months)
• • The effect on a group if one member tests positive (likely that the whole group would have to quarantine and could not travel home, and/or crew boats would be unable to compete)
• • Availability and cost of insurance

Please note also that, depending on the possibility of travel, CRNZ may select further athletes in crew boats for Open World Champs via the “Additional Events” pathway in our Selection Regulations.

If travel to Europe is not possible, we will work with CRNZ Squad athletes to offer other development and competition opportunities in Australia.

Image: Georgia Schofield