The Samoan single-sculler, Bradley Jowitt, is anticipating a steep learning curve in his first appearance at the world rowing championships, which start at Lake Karapiro on Saturday, and he's eagerly awaiting a chance to go head to head with New Zealand's reigning world champion Mahe Drysdale.
Jowitt lives in Auckland but qualifies for Samoa through his mother, and will become the country's first competitor at a world event.
The 29 year-old regularly races New Zealand's top oarsmen, including Drysdale, and while he's no slouch he's knows the pace will be hot.
"Just expecting all the crews to be pretty fast - like a lot faster than what I'm used to so I'm just have to do the best I can. I work full-time so I've just done as much training as I can. I know there's a lot of olympians here, competing in my race, so it's going to be pretty tough but fun as well."
Bradley Jowitt says he's got no pre-conceived expectations of where he might finish and he's planning to take it one race at a time.
