Top coach to depart Canoe Racing NZ
- editor59343
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Gordon Walker has announced he’s resigning from his role as Head Coach for Canoe Racing New Zealand.
Walker is one of New Zealand’s most successful coaches, winning Coach of the Year at the Halberg Awards six times and named Coach of the Decade in 2021.
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He’s been Dame Lisa Carrington’s coach since 2010 where Carrington has won eight Olympic gold medals and 15 World Championship titles.
Since 2016 he has also overseen the women’s sprint programme and guided the K4 to World Championship success in 2023 and Olympic gold in Paris in 2024.
Canoe Racing New Zealand CEO Graham Oberlin-Brown says Gordon Walker’s contribution to the sport is immense.
“Gordon has been an integral part of CRNZ’s success story, guiding our athletes to world-leading performances and helping establish New Zealand as a global powerhouse in canoe sprint.
His dedication, expertise, and leadership have left an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire future generations. Whilst Gordon is resigning from the Head Coach position, we know he is keen to ensure a smooth transition through the next few months before the trials next March.”
“Our coaches, particularly Chris Mehak have worked very closely with Gordon and the women’s team in 2023 and 2024. Chris and the wider team have proven capability to coach Olympic, World Cup, and World Championship gold medal-winning athletes and crews.
During this transition, we’re focused on maintaining stability and continuity and ensuring our athletes including Lisa Carrington, have the best possible support. We will be recruiting for an additional coach to increase the capacity of the coaching team following Gordon’s departure.”
“Our high-performance programme is incredibly strong. We have a clear roadmap to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. This is a change in leadership, not a change in direction. Our athletes and programme remain focused on LA 2028 success.”
