'The sport's in a good spot' - Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson eyeing new challenges after retirement

Having announced his retirement from canoe slalom last month, Kiwi Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson certainly isn't slowing down.

Returning to where it all started in Tauranga as a 17-year old, Dawson last weekend took out the New Zealand Community Trust Wairoa Extreme Race, 15 years on from finding his love for the sport.

"I remember driving home from that race," he told 1 NEWS.

"[I] just could not believe that I had won against all my heroes - the guys I was reading about in magazines."

Announcing his retirement midway through Olympic preparation, Dawson says retirement thoughts begun around the Rio games three years ago.

"Everything was there, except maybe my passion.

"Since then, I've been searching for that same feeling but it hadn't quite been there and waiting for it to come back as you get fired up for Tokyo. But it just wasn't there."

Not to worry, though, with Dawson assuring that the future of the sport is in good hands.

"It's so cool, the sport's in a good spot.

"There's a young generation of rippers coming through.

"I have no doubt one of them's going to be in Tokyo."

For now, though, Dawson has his own challenges on the horizon - eyeing an Antarctic expedition before he bids to defend his Wairoa Extreme title in 2020.