Twigg shifts 'focus' to coastal rowing, open to sixth Olympics

Five-time Olympian Emma Twigg has hinted at a potential sixth campaign in Los Angeles, although there's a chance it won't be in flatwater rowing.

After two decades competing and succeeding in the women's single sculls, Twigg could instead add to her legacy with the Olympic debut of coastal rowing in 2028.

"Coastal [rowing] is my focus moving forward," Twigg told 1News.

"No matter what, I'm invested in trying to get the sport going and getting different people into it and see it as a great way of potentially giving back to the rowing community and a community that has been a huge part of my life and given me a hell of a lot as well."

The two-time medallist is in the final preparations for this weekend's Beach Sprint National Championships at Orewa Beach.

Unlike the straight-and-narrow racing she grew accustomed to in flatwater rowing, Twigg sees the Beach Sprint as entertaining "chaos".

"The best way I like to explain it is it's like the BMX of rowing," she said.

"It's exciting, anything can happen. You're running down the beach, jumping in a boat, going out around a slalom course, 180 degree turn at the top, backward the waves, jump out of the boat, run back out the beach and jump on a buzzer so there's so many points to that race where something can go wrong.

"It's a little bit of luck, a little bit of talent and then at the moment we're just trying to figure out exactly what that athlete looks like."

For now, Twigg is part of that conversation.

This weekend's championship is the last opportunity for athletes to compete ahead of selections to the New Zealand Team trials later this year, with the final squad then going to the world championships in Brazil in October.

"I think the exciting part is that it actually potentially will tap a completely different athlete which is exciting because there's all sorts of different sports that could cross over into this one," she explained.

"You've got surf lifesaving, some athletics type bodies that are good at running, we don't know what the next superstar's going to look like."

But for now, having a strong rowing background has certainly helped Napier-born Twigg, who claimed bronze at last year's world championships in Italy competing in the women's solo.

"Having spent a bit of time getting in and out of boats when I was younger and being on the sea, that kind of helps."

The result perhaps a spark for what could be a sixth Olympics, with Twigg not ruling out competing in it at the Los Angeles Games.

"I'd never say never," she grinned.

"I would love to see a really competitive group of coastal rowers putting their hand up for LA and if I'm part of that group that would be an absolute privilege because I'd be knocking on — I'd be over 40.

"Success in the next four years would be that there's a really really strong New Zealand coastal team."