The European destinations of Prague, Leipzig and Paris will provide the Grove 25-year-old with the perfect warm-up before he hits the Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre in late July.

Watkins will compete in world cup events in the Czech Republic and Germany which should offer similar conditions to Tokyo although he said the most comparable course was in Paris which is set to stage the next Olympic competition and will be his final stop before flying to Japan.

After months of uncertainty about the rescheduled Games, Watkins said leaving Tasmanian shores was a significant step.

"It's really starting to become reality," he said. "It's been quite a long time since the date has been set but there have been lots of ups and downs with all the COVID changes and there was always the thought in the back of my mind that it might not actually come around but now there's this excitement that it's all starting to happen.

"I think it will go OK. There's a bit more hassle than normal but my last race was in February so it will be great to have some quality racing and blow the cobwebs off before going to the Games."

The Derwent Canoe Club member, who has qualified for the C1 and is reserve in K1, had his second COVID vaccination last week and said the many unorthodox guidelines will certainly make Tokyo a unique Games.

"It's definitely going to be interesting and a different experience but because these are my first Games it's all new to me anyway," he said.

"I've no idea what's going to happen with the opening ceremony or even if there's going to be one. I will have the opportunity to go but it's close to my event so I will have to weigh that up once I'm there."

Heats for the C1 will be on Sunday, July 25, with the semi-final and final the following afternoon.

Watkins is one of five Tasmanians who have been nominated for selection to Tokyo along with Georgia Baker, Richie Porte, Stewart McSweyn and Jake Birtwhistle with Deon Kenzie also lined up for the Paralympics.

Richie Porte is sitting comfortably, 24 seconds off the lead in the Criterium du Dauphine.

After three of the eight stages in the traditional Tour de France lead-in event, the Launceston 36-year-old is in 28th place among a host of riders on the same time as sixth place.

Porte, whose last two tours in Catalunya and Romandie yielded second-placed finishes behind teammates, is among three INEOS Grenadiers still in contention.

The Alpine race finishes in Les Gets, near Geneva, on Sunday.

Hobart duo Eddie Ockenden and Josh Beltz have helped the Kookaburras record a clean sweep in the Trans-Tasman Series with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand.

First quarter goals from Nathan Ephraums and Tom Wickham were followed by three in the last 12 minutes from Jeremy Hayward, Jacob Anderson and a Wickham second set up by a pinpoint circle entry from 26-year-old Josh Beltz.

Seeking selection to a fourth Olympics, 34-year-old Ockenden captained the side in a record-extending 370th international appearance.

Jake Birtwhistle will be hoping history repeats itself in Leeds this weekend.

The English city witnessed the Launceston 26-year-old's maiden victory in the elite World Triathlon Series in 2019 and, having since recorded a second in Hamburg, he will be keen for another before his maiden Olympic Games.

"A little bit of intensity to round out the week, now it's almost race time again," Birtwhistle posted on Instagram along with footage of him training in southern Spain.

Birtwhistle was a DNF in the series opener in Japan.