OTTAWA, ON (December 13, 2016) – Canoe Kayak Canada is pleased to name Ian Mortimer as its new Director of Development. In his new role, Mortimer will focus on program development to align with Canoe Kayak Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development model.

“Ian’s passion for the sport shines through in everything he does,” said Casey Wade, CEO of Canoe Kayak Canada. “He has proven his ability to work collaboratively with people to develop the sport. I know he will play an instrumental role in helping Canoe Kayak to reach its full potential.”

Mortimer will work in partnership with clubs, divisions, Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations, and High Performance management to help develop the sport at the grassroots and club level and allow athletes to successfully progress towards the Podium Pathway to strengthen our high performance system. He will work to improve the quality of coaching throughout Canada and will lead the implementation of the Coaching Association of Canada’s National Coach Certification Program (NCCP). Mortimer will be part of Canoe Kayak Canada’s Technical Leadership Team to support domestic development and high performance objectives.

“Learning to paddle can be life changing — I know that first-hand,” said Mortimer. “In this new position, I am excited to continue working with our entire community to get more Canadians out on the water. Setting out in a canoe or kayak is never truly about the destination. Whether a paddler reaches the highest international level of competition, or more simply spends some of their summer paddling our rivers and lakes, I am confident that their journey in our Canadian development system can serve as a foundation for lifelong success, on and off the water.”

Mortimer has served as Canoe Kayak Canada’s Manager of Domestic Development and Partner Relations since 2015. He was a National Team canoe athlete for seven years and retired in 2012. He grew up paddling at the Rideau Canoe Club and spent three years coaching full-time after his retirement. His international career highlights include a bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games, two silver medals at the World University Championships and placing fourth in C4 at the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.

He is however, most proud of his accomplishments at the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships. These include winning 17 medals as both a paddler and war canoe cox, and winning the Black trophy twice in Junior Men’s C4. Mortimer holds a Master’s degree in Canadian Studies from Carleton University and was a board member for the Coaching Association of Canada for six years.

Canoe Kayak Canada has recently undergone and full High Performance review in partnership with Own The Podium, and a Human Resources review with the support of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Sport Enhancement Fund. The purpose of these reviews were to look at ways to strengthen our high performance system and to restructure staff roles to improve operational efficiencies. A Chief Technical Officer will soon be hired to lead the High Performance Program.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada. Canoe Kayak Canada has been one of Canada’s top performing summer sports having won an impressive count of 24 Olympic medals. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization which 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.

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For more information:

Ian Miller
Communications and Marketing Officer, Canoe Kayak Canada
613.314.1352
imiller@canoekayak.ca