OTTAWA, ON (October 8, 2026) — Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is pleased to welcome Nancy Botting as its new Para Development Lead, a dedicated national resource supporting the growth and development of paracanoe across Canada.
A registered physiotherapist with expertise in classification and athlete development, Nancy brings extensive experience with the Canadian Paralympic Committee and supporting many of Canada’s National Paracanoe Teams over the last 6 Paralympic Games, including at the Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Since May, she has brought that experience to her new role, focusing on strengthening opportunities and development pathways for paracanoe athletes, coaches, clubs and divisions across the country.
“Nancy has been an important part of our paracanoe program for many years, and she brings a tremendous depth of experience to this role,” said Ian Mortimer, Chief Technical Officer at Canoe Kayak Canada. “Dedicated leadership focused on athlete development and the systems that support our clubs and coaches will be an important step forward for paracanoe in Canada. This role will help strengthen connections across the country and create more opportunities for athletes to find and progress in the sport.”
A key focus of Nancy’s role will be supporting clubs and coaches in starting, growing and strengthening paracanoe programs. She will lead a national recruitment and development plan with provincial and club coaches, visit clubs and divisions developing paracanoe programming, and provide support with coaching, equipment modification and grant opportunities. She will also support talent identification with the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and other national sport organizations, serve as CKC’s liaison with the CPC, and build partnerships with prosthetic and orthotic providers to improve access to affordable boat and equipment modifications.
“I’m excited to be able to bring my diverse Paralympic and canoe/kayak experience into a single role that is focused on supporting para sport development across the country. I look forward to helping coaches and divisions find and recruit more athletes with disabilities into our community” said Nancy Botting, CKC Para Development Lead. “I will focus on supporting clubs, coaches and athletes with the help of partners to create opportunities that make our sport more accessible and to continue building a strong pathway forward for paracanoe athletes in Canada.”
In addition, Nancy will help standardize paracanoe entries and equipment passport protocols for CKC Sprint Trials and Sprint Nationals in alignment with Paddle Worldwide (formerly the International Canoe Federation – ICF) rules. She will serve as CKC’s primary contact for clubs on classification, education and Trials/Nationals entries, lead the CKC Paracanoe Committee, and deliver the paracanoe component of CKC’s coach education programs.
At the national team level, Nancy will support the National Team Paracanoe Coach on international classification and Paddle Worldwide matters, helping strengthen the connection between Canada’s domestic development system and the international sport environment.
With a dedicated national resource now in place, CKC is looking forward to working with clubs, coaches, athletes and partners across the country to continue growing paracanoe and creating more opportunities for Canadians to get involved in the sport.
The position is made possible through the support of the CPC, Sport Canada, and Own the Podium, whose investment is helping CKC build capacity and create stronger opportunities for para athletes across the country.