With the Youth Olympic Games closing, we can look back on a strong season, particularly for our development athletes, and what was arguably our deepest-ever Junior & U23 Worlds: Second, fourth and top 8 for Finn Anderson, George Snook and Kahlia Cullwick in the slalom events in Buenos Aires; fourth for Finn Butcher in the U23 World Championships, as part of a team of three all making the men’s K1 semi-final (with Jack Dangen and Callum Gilbert); a repeat final for Zack Mutton in the Junior World Championships; semi-finals for Courtney Williams, River Mutton and Hannah Thomas, along with bronze for Rivey in Extreme, in Ivrea; a return to World Cup semi-finals for Callum Gilbert and Finn Butcher, along with Mike Dawson, who also earned silver overall in World Cup Extreme; and Luuka Jones’ now habitual place in the senior World Championships final.

The Youth Olympic Games team was admirably led by Matt McKnight, and the men’s K1 depth has prospered further with the engagement of Pierre Labarelle as HP Coach: We are indebted to CSBOP for cooperation in making both these coaches available, and indeed for all efforts including the wonderful AIMS Games. We are also very grateful to One Foundation who through the Environmental White Water Park Trust provided funding for the YOG Team, in addition to the support from NZOC, and to all the sponsors who got behind the Juniors and U23s.

Behind the scenes there’s also been plenty going on, and it is my pleasure to update on progress. At the AGM in April, two members’ messages were clearly received: developing sustainability and “athlete voice” (establishing an effective communication pathway to consider athletes’ views).

For sustainability, the CSNZ Committee has been evolving a new strategy and operational and governance structures to both capitalise on recent growth, and to sustain finance, membership and volunteerism. This will be brought to the community for face-to-face consultation during December in a series of workshops around the country (schedule to follow).

We are in negotiation with High Performance Sport and Sport New Zealand for a sustainable General Manager position, and mid-year appointed Jean Thomas as Business Administrator to support operations. Jean has been hard at work administrating what again look like healthy finances, organising document and knowledge retention, and some of the website operations. You will have noticed the implementation of canoeslalomnz email addresses, not least to assist with knowledge capture (and can find these addresses on the website).

We would like to thank all our other funding partners this year – NZ Community Trust, Grassroots Trust, Pub Charity and Lion Foundation – for helping make these initiatives possible.

Within the evolving strategy is full commitment to hosting an exciting and risk-free Junior & U23 World Championships at Vector Wero in 2021, and we have secured approximately 70% of necessary funds already. We are delighted to have assembled a very strong Steering Committee for the event, Chaired by Agnieszka Grudzinska, with Sue Clarke recently appointed as Event Director. Sue will lead not just the delivery of the 2021 event, but all ICF sanctioned events at Vector Wero until then, including the 2020 Oceania Championships.

Sue has stepped down from the overall CSNZ Committee and her NPS duties, though will remain active with events and communications work. I know everyone involved in the canoe slalom community will thank Sue for the incredible energy she has put in to the growth and direction of CSNZ for the past 17 years, and years to come.

After his and Jeanette McLennan’s amazing efforts as J/U23 Managers this year, Kerry Bloor will pick up the NPS mentor role, and is already providing Shaun Pearce with great support. With a year under his belt, Shaun has been planning some adjustments to NPS to reflect its growing performance culture, but also diversity around the country. He will share these for consultation with athletes at the next NPS camp, including an outreach initiative to work more closely with athletes and coaches in home clubs – supporting and growing clubs and coaches has to be paramount to a sustainable community.

On that note, I think we were all delighted to see the joy experienced by Gabrielle Lolohea from St John the Evangelist Catholic School in Otara when winning the AIMS Games. Gabbi took up paddling through the new Tamaki Paddle Sports Club Paddle Passport Programme at Vector Wero – an initiative directly aligned with our partnerships with the Oceania Canoe Association and Second Nature Charitable Trust. A new club on the horizon can only be good.

Also paramount is consultation and feedback, and I am indebted to Finn Butcher for his commitment to developing an effective “athlete voice”. Working closely with HPSNZ Athlete Life Advisor, Christine Arthur, and myself, Finn has drafted a framework for NPS athlete voice that the athletes will discuss at the next camp. Once confirmed, it will be embedded in to CSNZ governance.

Feedback from athletes and parents mid-year has already been noted for action by the Committee, including the desire for empowered and trusting environments, selections that ensure a consistent performance focus, and early notice of season planning and costs. To confirm some of these immediately: NPS may establish a leadership group to work closely with Shaun and Kerry, an independent Chair is being vetted for the Selection Committee, the financial per-day model has proved effective and is ready for World Cups and Championships, and Pierre will continue with men’s K1 and become full-time from December.

Finally, with all above moving in to place, I’m pleased to be able to say that after 7 years of immense graft Aaron Osborne is taking a well-earned break! The proving of Aaron’s work for all this time is much of the progress above, and having people of the calibre of Shaun, Pierre and Campbell Walsh remaining at the helm in his absence. I will be helping them coordinate what we anticipate will be a positive HPSNZ annual review, and empowering them and you all to keep moving forward. Aaron will return to work around 7 January, refreshed from building and surfing his own boards!

As always, the Committee and I welcome any thoughts – wishing you a fabulous summer and safe paddling.

Graeme Maw

Interim Operations Manager

19/10/18

Article added: Friday 19 October 2018