Canoe Slalom reluctantly announce that High Performance coach Pierre Labarelle will be returning home to France at the conclusion of the senior selection races in March 2021.

Labarelle, has been with CSNZ since 2018 initially as Men’s K1 coach and more recently as our HP Coach. Pierre has played a key role to helping a group of promising paddlers improve on the world stage.

With the challenges that the world and sport have faced in a Covid-19 2020 together with the impact of international travel restrictions have prompted coach Labarelle and his family to bring forward future plans to return to France.

"I have enjoyed, and am still enjoying the work I am doing here and I feel pretty lucky to have had this opportunity to live in New Zealand and coach canoe slalom.  I would like to acknowledge CSNZ who have looked after us and made sure we had everything we needed, especially in this very challenging year.  As much as we have loved our time in New Zealand it is time to return home to reunite with our families again.

I am sad to leave so many people behind, especially the athletes I am coaching who I have built strong relationships with, but I really hope as a coach I have been able to prepare them for any kind of situation.“

“On behalf of the board, athletes and slalom community we wish to thank Pierre for his service and we cannot thank Pierre enough for the time and effort he has dedicated to CSNZ and the paddlers and prior to that CSBOP” said Kerry Bloor, chair of Canoe Slalom NZ. “Pierre has shown an ability to coach paddlers to reach their goals, not only the HP paddlers he is currently coaching but also the juniors while at CSBOP, the U23/ Junior and World Cup. Pierre will always be welcome back into NZ by all of us, and I know that those who are travelling to events in Europe will look forward to meeting you on the river’s edge in years to come. You will be missed Pierre, thanks for all you have done."

Canoe Slalom’s High-Performance Manager, Tony Hanks, said Pierre’s departure will be felt across the community. “Pierre has contributed so much to the sport in NZ and his willingness to always help and be available has endeared him to everyone he has worked with. I have personally enjoyed Pierre’s support and measured advice in recent months. We wish Pierre, Elise and Gary all the very best on their return to France."

With four months until Pierre’s departure, we look forward to preparing for the NZ selection races and two more NPS Camps. CSNZ will look to recruit for Pierre’s replacement with consideration to the Strategic and HP plans that are currently being developed.  

Article added: Thursday 17 December 2020

Canoe Slalom New Zealand (CSNZ) is the organisation that administers the Olympic sport of canoe slalom in New Zealand.  It is our aim to foster and develop the sport to an extent where New Zealand has greater representation and success at world events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup races