Congratulations to all the winners and recognised athletes, officials and volunteers, who were announced and celebrated at the Awards Ceremony on Saturday in Rotorua.
We are pleased to announce the following award winners:
2024 CRNZ SPORTS AWARDS
Female Canoe Sprint Athlete of the Year:
Lisa Carrington (Eastern Bay Canoe Racing Club)
Male Canoe Sprint Athlete of the Year
Peter Cowan (Hawkes Bay Kayak Racing Club)
Ocean Ski Athlete of the Year
Danielle Richards (North Shore Canoe Club)
Marathon Athlete of the Year
Emma Kemp (Mana Kayak Club)
Junior (18&U) Athlete of the Year
Jacqueline Kennedy (Poverty Bay Kayak Club)
23&U Athlete of the Year
Olivia Brett (Arawa Canoe Club)
Masters Athlete of the Year
Garth Spencer (North Shore Canoe Club)
Team of the Year
NZ Women K4 – Lisa Carrington, Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett, Tara Vaughan
Coach of the Year
Gavin Elmiger (North Shore Canoe Club)
Volunteer of the Year
Florin & Florina Pirnea (Arawa Canoe Club)
Official of the Year
Matt Warren
Club of the Year
Hawke’s Bay Kayak Racing Club
Paddler.nz Spirit of Paddling Award
Paul Randall (Waitara Kayak Club)Paul is the heart and soul of Waitara Kayak Club. A jack of all trades and master of most, Paul assists with admin, coaching and whatever is needed. He coaches and supports all levels of athlete from the Try Learn Explore programme through to the senior performance paddlers. Paul is a mainstay on his club committee and is a great connector between the various groups of paddlers within the club – Multisport, sprint, ocean ski and junior TLE. He’s also an accomplished paddler himself and he often sacrifices his own training time to support new paddlers in the club. The Spirit of Paddling simply oozes out of Paul in whatever hat he happens to be wearing, be it coaching, volunteering or paddling. His enthusiasm and passion for the sport have made him the worthy recipient of the Spirit of Paddling Award.
2024 EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Excellence Awards are given to people who achieved at the pinnacle of our sport, or who have contributed to it at a World Championship or Olympic level.
Athletes:
Lisa Carrington:
- 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Gold K1 500m, Gold K2 500m, GoldK4 500m
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 1, Hungary: Gold K2 500m, Silver K1 500m
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 2, Poland: Gold K2 500m, Silver K1 500m, Silver K4 500m
Alicia Hoskin:
- 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Gold K2 500m, Gold K4 500m
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 1, Hungary: Gold K2 500m
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 2, Poland: Gold K2 500m, Silver K4 500m
Oliva Brett:
- 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Gold K4 500m
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 2 in Poland: SilverK4 500m
Tara Vaughan:
- 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Gold K4 500m
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 2 in Poland: Silver K4 500m
Aimee Fisher:
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 1 Hungary: Gold in K1 500m
- 2024 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 2, Poland: Gold in K1 500m
- Set a World’s Best time in the WK1 500m (1:46.19) at World Cup 1 in Hungary.
Peter Cowan:
- 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Bronze VL3 200m
- 2024 ICF Para World Championships in Hungary: Silver VL3 200m
Garth Spencer:
- 2024 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships: Silver K2 Masters Men 50-54years , Bronze medal K1 Masters 50-54yearsVaughan Reed:
- 2024 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships: Silver K2 Masters Men 50-54years
Officials
- Matt Warren: Chief Starter, 2024 Olympic Games
- Karen Simpson-Warren: Chief Judge, 2024 Paralympic Games
- Terry Newsome: Aligner & Penalty Box Umpire, 2024 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships
- Allison Harris
Coaches
These coaches have had athletes who achieved medals at World Championships or Olympic/Paralympic Games.
- Gordon Walker
- Chris Mehak
- Myka Nuku
2024 RECOGNITION AWARDS
Recognition Awards are given to Canoe Racing NZ Club members who have made a significant contribution to their club, region or nationally in the last year.
Max Brown (Whanganui Kayak Club)
Max was a leading members in the NZ Men’s K4 500m team that made it through to the A final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the first NZ Mens K4 to achieve that feat in 40years. Max, alongside Grant Clancy, was also part of the NZ men’s C2 crew , the first time NZ has qualified and competed in C-boats at an Olympics. Max and Grant put everything they had into qualifying the C2 and therefore the K4 for the Olympics. Max has been incredibly generous with his time travelling around schools nationwide promoting the spirit of what it means to aspire to excellence in sport and team culture. He was co -writer with Ellesse Andrews, of the official song for the NZ Olympic Team 2024 reaching no 1 in NZ and in the top 20 for a time.
Max is Athlete Commission Representative to the NZOC, a group of selected athletes that raise matters directly to the NZOC.
2024 OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
Outstanding Service Award winners are being recognised as having made an outstanding contribution to the Club, region or nationally over at least 10years of service to the sport.
Barry Coleman, Hawke’s Bay Kayak Racing Club
Barry Coleman has been coaching at the Hawke’s Bay Kayak Racing Club for over 15 years. Over the years Barry has coached many young athletes who have gone on to represent New Zealand. Barry planned to step down early last year, but upon learning about the waitlist of juniors eager to join the sport, Barry offered his services again, returning to assist the current Novice coach and provide more technical coaching hours for our newer paddlers. An advocate for the “Balance is Better” philosophy, Barry actively engages with all sports and follows the success of our young athletes closely. He not only coaches paddlers on the water but also takes a genuine interest in their other sporting pursuits, recognizing the value of multi-discipline involvement at a young age. Barry often sets up makeshift football goals for spontaneous games after kayak training, promoting team spirit while encouraging fun, fitness, and camaraderie. The success of the Hawkes Bay junior program is largely attributed to Barry’s foundational work. His dedication helps foster a love for paddling and builds confidence in emerging athletes. He has been the welcoming face for the club to all new paddlers and it is fantastic that his decision to retire from coaching was short lived. Congratulations Barry.
Bruce Johnston, Arawa Canoe Club
Bruce has given outstanding service to the Arawa Canoe Club as the club Secretary for more than 20 years. He’s been a great source of stability as committee members have come and gone, which has gone a long way to ensuring the club is consistent with positive initiatives. As a professional accountant, he has contributed very valuable (and free!) advice to the club, has been absolutely rigorous in keeping the club in very good financial shape and ensuring the club continues to do the right thing in all respects. He’s also still deeply involved in club operations, and works closely with the club’s administrators.
Since he gave up multisport paddling a long time ago, he’s been a regular (and current) coach for the Saturday morning beginner sessions,
introducing new multisporters to the joys of kayaking. The Outstanding Service Award is extremely well-deserved and earned by Bruce, for all the great work he’s put in to the Arawa Canoe Club over many years.
Kim Murray, Mana Kayak Club
Kim Murray embodies the dedication and selflessness that define the spirit of volunteering. Despite a full life with young children and limited time to paddle herself, Kim has remained unwavering in her commitment to keeping the club operational. Her long-standing dedication has been especially vital in challenging times, where her steadfast support ensured the club’s stability. Kim handles essential administrative responsibilities, such as managing bills and invoicing, tasks that are often behind the scenes but crucial to the club’s continuity. Without her consistent and selfless contributions, the club would not be able to function. Kim’s exceptional commitment and resilience make her a worthy recipient of an Outstanding Service Award.
Liz Thompson, Poverty Bay Kayak Club
Liz Thompson receives this award in recognition of her outstanding dedication to the sport of kayaking and their invaluable contributions to the Poverty Bay Kayak Club over close to 40 years. Liz’s commitment to fostering talent and love for the sport has made a profound impact on Poverty Bay’s kayak community. Liz has devoted numerous years to the sport of kayaking, demonstrating unwavering commitment and passion. Her extensive experience has inspired countless paddlers and enriched their journey of paddling. She has been a constant presence for paddlers and dedicates her time to coaching and mentoring, helping athletes refine their skills and become better paddlers. Her hands-on approach has fostered a supportive and nurturing environment and she consistently promotes the sport, encouraging participation at all levels and sharing her love for the water with everyone in the club. This enthusiasm has played a key role in building a vibrant paddling community. Liz embodies the spirit of dedication and service that this award seeks to honour.
2024 was an incredible year for our sport, across all age groups and disciplines of paddling. Congratulations and thank you to all awards winners, finalists, clubs, coaches, officials, paddlers and families for what they give to our sport. We look forward to another fantastic year in 2025.
