For Australia's elite canoeists to get to Rio, they first must thrive in Olympic undercurrents in Adelaide.
The Oceania canoe sprint championships at Adelaide's West Lakes start on Friday with the host nation seeking to lock-up six more quota spots for this year's Rio Olympics.
The regatta also doubles as the first of two Olympic selection events for Australians - the other is next month's national sprint championships in Perth.
Australia booked seven men's kayak Olympic berths at last year's world titles in Italy.
And Canoeing Australia's national performance director Richard Fox hopes six more canoe and kayak spots will be sealed in Adelaide - and he'll find out who takes the inside running for Olympic selection.
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"Depending on the event you're in, it's more or less critical" Fox said on Thursday.
"Every day of racing will have its significance, either in terms of an Olympic quota place or a win on the board in the Australian selection process."
Fox highlighted the men's duels over 1000 metres as among the most competitive, given the trialling of various K4 combinations in the past 18 months.
"With the amount of boat changes it's hard to say who definitely is going to be there (in Rio)," London Olympic K4 gold medallist Jake Clear said.
"There has been a few different people coming in and out of the boat for different reasons.
"But we have got such a good group of athletes that no-one is disrupting the boat when they come in or out, which is a good thing."
