OTTAWA, ONTARIO (November 27, 2017) – Canoe Kayak Canada officially announces the hiring of two world leading coaches for the sprint national teams and the men’s canoe team. Sprint canoe and kayak stars Anders Gustafsson and Andreas Dittmer are joining Canoe Kayak Canada’s (CKC) coaching team as the Head Coach and Men’s Canoe Coach, respectively.

“I’m absolutely delighted to have both Anders and Andreas join CKC’s high performance Leadership team,” said Casey Wade, Chief Executive Officer at Canoe Kayak Canada. “We now have a well-rounded, world leading coaching group led by Graham Barton moving forward toward 2020 and beyond,” he added.

Led by Graham Barton, Chief Technical Officer at CKC, Sweden’s Anders Gustafsson will be the new head coach of the national team while Germany’s Andreas Dittmer will be the coach for the men’s sprint canoe team.

“The arrival of these two big names is an exciting time for CKC,” said Barton. “I am excited by the combination of coaching and athlete potential.  There is a positive vibe on the team and I believe we have what it takes to take Canada back to being one of the top 3 canoeing nations in the World”. 

New Head Coach

Having competed in four Olympic Games between 2000 and 2012, eleven World Championships and a dozen World Cups and European Championships, the Swedish kayak star, Anders Gustafsson has all the experience necessary to excel at this role. He won the World Champion title in 2010 in the K1 500 meters event.

“When looking for a Head Coach we were looking for something more than just coaching expertise,” said Graham Barton. “It was the intangibles that made Anders our first choice.  His communication style and his experience with Sweden America’s Cup Team clearly demonstrated the skills we were looking for to lead our Coaching Team into Tokyo.” 

Men’s Canoe Coach

Andreas Dittmer marked the history of sprint canoeing and inspired thousands of young athletes around the world. The German Olympian will take charge of the Canadian men’s sprint canoe team.

During his career, Dittmer dominated sprint canoeing by winning five medals at the Olympic Games, including 3 golds in C-2 and C-1 1000 meters. He is also 8 times World Champion and has won a total of 22 medals at the World Championship between 1991 and 2004.

“Andreas is the final piece in solidifying a World Class coaching team,” said Barton. “He brings with him extensive Olympic experience. He knows what it takes to win and I am confident that he will lead our Men’s Canoe Program back into contention for the podium in Tokyo and Paris”.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

 -30-

For more information :
Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785