Olympic kayak champion Tim Brabants may have three World Cups and a European Championship to look forward to this summer - but it is the World Championships that has his attention.

The 34-year-year-old Royal Canoe Club member is hoping to defend his Beijing 2008 K1 1,000m title in 2012, but has to get there first.

The two-time Olympian, currently warm weather training in South Africa, finished silver at the World Championships in Poland last year.

And he is out to atleast repeat that performance in 2011 to be certain of a spot in Team GB for the London Games in just over 18 months time.

“I am exactly where I want to be at this stage, “ he said from his training base in Cape Town.

“A silver at the World Championships 2 years out from the Olympics is where I was at this stage prior to Beijing, so all on track.

“The key focus is the world champions which are the Olympic qualifiers in August this year. There will also be three World Cup events and the Europeans, which are great for preparation.

“Main aim is to qualify an Olympic place for GB at the World Championships and to win a few medals at the other Internationals.”

German Max Hoff won gold ahead of Brabants in Poznan last year and the Teddington-based star admits he has to be ready for a similar threat this year and next.

And he expects the Team GB canoe squad on the whole to be among the medal contenders.

“All the usual suspects from Germany, Australia, Canada, Belarus and Norway will be there plus a few young guns who are likely to make an appearance,” he added.

“The GB team is steadily getting better and better with improved performance across the board.

“It is great to be part of such a positive and successful squad as it makes racing so much more enjoyable when everyone is coming home with good results.”

But for now Brabants is simply enjoying sunnier climbs before the competition gets underway.

“I come out top Cape Town most winters to get a solid block of quality training in warm weather,” he said.

“It’s such a beautiful part of the country with amazing views of the mountain from the lake and great people.

“From the UK weather forecasts it looks like I did the right thing to get away from the cold.”