Gordon Walker’s nearly 16-year reign at the top of world kayak coaching, and arguably New Zealand sports coaching, is coming to an end.
Rather than going through to the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 as the national coach for Canoe Racing NZ, Walker will stand down, most likely at the end of the current summer.
The decision comes after guiding Dame Lisa Carrington and the national team to an incredible eight Olympic gold medals and nearly 20 world championship titles, across the K1, K2 and K4 disciplines.
“I still really enjoy it. I love the people, love the team but just feel this is the right time for me – but yeah it's going to be hard to let it go, hard to not be part of the lives of these people,” he said
“There’s no one reason, it’s not as if there’s a problem.
“My daughter’s 16th birthday was the other day, this has been her whole life, our whole life.”
How hard was it telling Dame Lisa?
“Yeah really hard. But there was a moment in my mind that I thought 'You know what, she'll be fine, she knows what to do.'”
Walker’s background was initially in road cycling.
“Cycling is probably the greatest teacher I ever had, because cycling is flippin' hard.”
If that wasn’t hard enough, he then committed to a successful multi-sport career, winning the legendary Coast to Coast three times, all the while coaching others in different disciplines across the sport.
In 2010, Walker specialised in kayaking and took over as Dame Lisa's coach, ending up with six Halberg Coach of the Year awards.
“That's the thing I'm most proud of, the creation of something. The results are amazing, but more so, that something's been created I guess from nothing.
“We started with a shed and a couple of kayaks, now we have a group of staff, many the best in the world in their areas. We’ve also developed structures and programmes that are world leading.”
The last decade hasn’t all been about the victories. Several years ago, accusations were levelled at the national set up around alleged bullying and toxicity. Reviews took place, but many believed Walker was unfairly treated.
“From where we were then to where we are now is something I reflect on with a lot of pride," he said.
“I've never felt like I'm pushing someone, it's more 'how much do you want this?'"
Walker and Canoe Racing NZ’s set up, work and coaching techniques culminated in the K4 gold medal win at the Paris Olympics last year. The team and Dame Lisa won three golds across three days.
Canoe Racing NZ will take time to appoint Walker’s successor.
Graham Oberlin-Brown, a former Olympic rower, is chief executive of Canoe Racing NZ.
“We have a performance team with multiple World and Olympic medal results to be able to step in, but there's no doubt Gordy has contributed immensely to the programme,” he said.
“Gordy for 20 years has thought about winning kayak races, every day when he wakes. It’s been an incredible run.”
Dame Lisa said in a statement that “being coached by Walker for 15 years has been an honour and privilege.”
“He's without question one of New Zealand's greatest coaches.”
Walker says it’s been an amazing ride, started all those years ago when he saw a young Carrington training on Lake Pupuke on Auckland’s North Shore, initially noticing her speed in the boat. He soon realised how fast she also responded to coaching.
“To have a front row seat in the house to one of the greatest Olympic stories of all time – that's actually what happened.”
Walker’s set to carry on coaching until the end of the current summer. You’ll still see him most mornings down at Pupuke. He will always be willing to lend a coaching ear and eye.
“I feel very, very grateful.”
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