Sprint canoeist Rachel Cawthorn knows that fractions matter in a sport that might appear straightforward but where technique is everything.
Cawthorn arrives at the European Games in confident mood after a silver medal at the recent World Cup in Copenhagen over her specialty 500m distance.
The 26-year old is currently second in the World Cup rankings but will face tough competition from Switzerland's Yvonne Schuring and Portugal's Teresa Portela in Baku.
Some athletes are using these first European Games as a vital chance to experience the unique atmosphere of a multi-sport event but seasoned campaigner Cawthorn - a world bronze medallist in 2010 and two-time Olympic finalist in 2012 - is taking everything in her stride.
"I'm really in the zone of racing after the World Cup," she said.
"I've had a fourth and second in my recent World Cups, which gives me a good idea of where I'm racing.
"It's a great chance to practice my race plan, which I'm constantly making tweaks to ahead of the worlds and Olympic qualification later in the year.
"Everything is working towards Rio. After competing in London I understand it's a four year cycle with the Olympics at the end.
"When I was younger I was probably excited about every competition but now it feels like a longer journey and you have to trial things as you go."
Cawthorn starts her competitions on Sunday while Jonathan Boyton and James Styan compete in the men's C1 1000m heats, Timothy Pendle and Andrew Daniels go in the men's C2 1000m and Lani Belcher and Angela Hannah will be looking to progress in the women's K2 500m.
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