As we continue to evolve as an organisation, CRNZ are sharing a number of recent staffing updates in the previous few months:
Farewell to Nathan Luce
Canoe Racing New Zealand is sad to farewell Nathan Luce who has resigned from his role as General Manager of Performance.
Nathan joined CRNZ in 2017 as a high performance coach, bringing international experience and a passion for athlete development. Following the Tokyo Games, he stepped up to General Manager of Performance.
During his time with us, he has played an important role in shaping our performance and high-performance programmes, supporting athletes and coaches to achieve outstanding results on the world stage, and strengthening the foundations for future success. This has included NZ winning 6 Olympic Gold medals over the last 2 Olympics, a Paralympic medal and multiple world championship medals.
We thank Nathan for his dedication and leadership, and wish him every success in the next stage of his career. Nathan will remain in the role until mid-November. CRNZ will soon begin the process of recruiting and appointing a new Performance Lead.
Welcoming Lauren Harrod as Event Manager
We are thrilled to welcome Lauren Harrod as our new Event Manager!
Lauren brings over 20 years of experience in event management and community engagement, with a strong focus on aquatic sports. Her career highlights include developing and delivering the NZ Ocean Swim Series, the inaugural Ocean Swim Fiji, and managing civic and international events for Wellington City Council and the Queenstown Winter Festival. She has built enduring relationships with Surf Life Saving NZ, Swimming NZ, and regional aquatic organisations.
Lauren’s deep personal connection to aquatic sport – through her competitive swimming background and active involvement with her local Surf Life Saving Club – will be a great asset. We’re excited for the energy, creativity, and strategic insight Lauren will bring to our events programme as we continue to grow and innovate the sport of kayaking across Aotearoa.
Head Coach – Gordon Walker
We’re proud to announce the appointment of Gordon Walker as Head Coach of Canoe Racing New Zealand. Gordon is one of New Zealand’s most respected coaches, with a track record of success across Olympic and endurance sports. His leadership and strategic insight will be instrumental as we continue to build a world-leading high performance programme.
Gordon will oversee the delivery of our elite programme, working closely with athletes, coaches, and support staff to ensure CRNZ remains at the forefront of international canoe sprint.
Farewell – Craig Mustard
We recently farewelled Craig Mustard as lead coach of the NZ Men’s team. Craig lifted the performance of the men’s kayak programme immensely during his time with us, with the men’s K4 crew placing 8th at the Paris 2024 Games and achieving the first Men’s K4 Olympic final in 40 years. We are incredibly appreciative of the contribution Craig has made to kayaking in New Zealand and we wish him the best on his next adventure.
We’re pleased to see Craig continuing to support the sport through community and private coaching at Lake Karāpiro. You can learn more about Craig’s new coaching venture here: www.karapirokayakcoaching.nz
Farewell – Karen Simpson-Warren
Earlier this year, we farewelled our longest serving team member Karen Simpson-Warren.
Over her 15 plus years at CRNZ, Karen served in sport development roles through to the CRNZ Event Manager, adding a level of professionalism and structure to our events and developing them into world class events. Karen also lead our team of officials and has been crucial in upskilling and developing NZ and ICF officials.
Karen will remain involved with the sport as an official, both domestically and internationally. We thank Karen for her contribution and dedication to the sport.
Part-time Project Manager – Aaron Osborne
Following a successful Paris Olympics – coaching Finn Butcher to an Olympic gold medal – Aaron Osborne has reduced his hours with CRNZ while continuing to coach Finn. Aaron remains a key contributor to the implementation of the Paddler Portal, which now supports over 900 paddlers, and continues to lead our disability and inclusion programme.
Part-time Development Coach – Gavin Elmiger
Gavin Elmiger has joined CRNZ as a part-time Development Coach, supporting Emily Willock in delivering the National Pathway Programme and coaching our Paracanoe athletes. Gavin continues to coach pathway athletes in Auckland and across the country, while also serving as Head Coach at North Shore Canoe Club.
Part-time Office Administrator – Sarah Finch
We’re pleased to welcome Sarah Finch, who has joined us to support Stacey Plowman in Finance and Business Operations. As CRNZ continues to grow – now supporting over 10 elite athletes, 45+ national pathway athletes, a Para programme, and a growing portfolio of commercial and philanthropic partners – Sarah’s support will be invaluable.
If you have any questions regarding these staff changes, please reach out to Graham Oberlin-Brown (Chief Executive) or Stacey Plowman (Finance and Business Operations Manager).
