Role: Men’s Canoe National Team Coach

Role: National Team Head Coach
Hometown: Jönköping, Sweden
Residence: Montréal, Québec
First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2017

Anders Gustafsson is a decorated Swedish kayaker who joined Canada’s national coaching team as Head Coach in 2017. During his career, Anders competed in four Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012), eleven World Championships and a dozen World Cups and European Championships. He was World Champion in 2010 in the K1 500m event and retired in 2013.

Anders attended Jönköping University where he received a degree in International Business and also completed the Australian Institute of Sport/Melbourne Business School Performance Coaching and Leadership program. Anders was Chair of the ICF’s Athlete Committee from 2014-2017.

Anders has helped many Canadian athletes reach podium performances and continues to be an excellent leader for Canada’s National Team.

Personal International Results:

2012 Olympic Games (London, England) K-1 1000 – Fifth

2012 European Championships (Zagreb, Croatia) K-1 500 – Gold

2011 World Championships (Szeged, Hungary) K-1- 1000 – Silver

2011 European Championships (Belgrade, Serbia) K-1 500 – Silver

2010 World Championships (Poznan, Poland) K-1 500 – Gold

2009 World Championships (Dartmouth, Canada) K-1 500 – Silver

2009 World Championships (Dartmouth, Canada) K-1 1000 – Silver

Role: Women’s Kayak National Team Coach

Hometown: Lake Echo, NS

Residence: Halifax, NS

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2013

Clubs: Maskwa Aquatic Club 

Chad Brooks was Head Coach at Maskwa Aquatic Club from 2006 to 2013 and has been involved with several committees of Canoe Kayak Canada and the Atlantic Division Canoe Kayak Canada. Chad began paddling with his family at Orenda Canoe Club where he competed at several National Championships and at the Canada Games, and captured several national titles. His national best time in the Midget K1 6000m from 1996 stood for over a decade.

Chad holds a Bachelor of Commerce Global Business Management degree from Saint Mary’s University and spent time teaching English in China where he also learned some Mandarin.

CKC had the privilege of bringing Chad on board the national coaching team in 2013, when his role was to support National Team coaches with Senior Development Men’s Kayak athletes and to develop and implement effective talent development programs. In 2017, Chad was named coach of the Women’s Kayak National Team. Chad has helped many Canadian athletes reach success on the national and international level, including the U23 and Senior World Championships.

Role: Men’s Kayak National Team Coach

Hometown: Québec, QC

Residence: Québec, QC

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2008

Clubs: Lac Beauport 

Frédéric Jobin has coached some of the top names in Canadian paddling and has been an integral part of the Canadian national team coaching staff since 2008. He first started paddling at the Club de Canoë-Kayak du Lac Sergent, and later made the decision to move into coaching. Fred was Head Coach of the Club de Canoë-Kayak Lac Beauport from 1989 to 2008 and has also coached the U23 National Men’s Kayak Team.

Fred graduated from Université Laval with a Bachelor of Sciences in Kinesiology and went on further to complete a degree in Physiotherapy from the Université de Montréal.

Fred has received multiple Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Awards throughout his career, which recognize coaches whose athletes excel at World Championships, Olympic/Paralympics or Special Olympics. He coached 2014/2015 K-1 200m World Champion Mark de Jonge, as well as Olympic Bronze Medalist and 5-time World Champion Caroline Brunet between 2001 and 2004. Fred has also coached athletes at the 2000, 2004, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games including Maxime Boilard, Mylanie Barre, Richard Dober Jr., Steven Jorens, Ryan Cochrane and Hugues Fournel.

Role: Men’s Kayak National Team Coach

Hometown: Krakow, Poland

Residence: Dartmouth, NS

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2014

Clubs: Banook Canoe Club

Jan Kruk was a decorated National canoe team athlete for Poland. He has coached in the Canadian club system for 26 years, with much of his time being spent at Banook Canoe Club. He joined Canada’s national coaching team in 2014 and brings a wealth of knowledge to the National program.

His first role with Canoe Kayak Canada was coaching the NextGen Training Group for Atlantic Canada, where he focused on supporting potential performers at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. In 2017, he was selected to coach the Women’s Canoe National program and has since transitioned to the Men’s Kayak National team.

Jan has won the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award several times as coach of Women’s Canoe powerhouse duo Katie Vincent and Laurence Vincent-Lapointe. He was also a personal coach of Tom Hall when he won the 1999 Junior World Championships and has coached Olympian and World Silver medalist Jason McCoombs.

Role: Head Coach Athlete Development, Women’s Canoe National Team Coach

Hometown: Lachine, QC

Residence: Léry, QC

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 1989

Clubs: Lachine & Onake Paddling Clubs

Mark Granger has been an important part of Canada’s national coaching team for over 20 years. He acted as Team Leader for CKC’s team at the London 2012 Olympic Games before stepping into his coaching role in Paracanoe and more recently as Head Coach Athlete Development and Women’s Canoe National Team Coach.

Mark grew up in Châteauguay, Québec and won gold medals at both the National Championships and the Canada Games. He has played a key role in revitalizing the Onake Paddling Club and increasing interest in the sport among Aboriginal youth. He taught Physical Education in Kahnawake, Québec from 1992 to 1998 after completing his degree at Concordia University.

Mark was Quebec’s provincial team coach from 1985 to 1998, and his national coaching experience dates back to his role as Head Coach of the 1989 Junior World Championship Team. Mark has been awarded multiple Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Awards, which recognize coaches whose athletes excel at World Championships, Olympic/Paralympics or Special Olympics. He has coached every discipline, including paracanoe, at the international level and has also coached at numerous Canada Games, World Cups, Junior/U23 World Championships, Senior World Championships, Pan American Games and 5 Olympic Games.

Personal International Results:

Pan Am Championships Gold medalist

Role: Paracanoe National Coach and Manager

Residence: Montréal, QC

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2016

Clubs: Pointe-Claire Canoe Kayak Club

Marc Creamer joined Canoe Kayak Canada’s national coaching team in 2016. He supported Canada’s first ever Paracanoe Team at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games as Team Leader, where the sport made its debut. Marc was Head Coach at the Pointe-Claire Canoe Kayak Club for several years.

He is a former leader of Canoe Kayak Canada’s Coaches Technical Committee and has demonstrated his commitment to advancing coaching as a profession. He also sat on CKC’s Sprint Racing Council and High Performance Committee as Coaches’ Representative.

Marc won the Petro Canada Coach Excellence award in 2014, being recognized for coaching Paralympian and 5-time Paracanoe World Champion Christine Gauthier. He plays a key role in growing the National Paracanoe program and preparing the team for success at International events.

Role: National Team Assistant Coach

Hometown: Trois-Rivières, QC

Residence: Trois-Rivières, QC

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2020

Clubs: Club de Canoë-Kayak de Trois-Rivières

Mathieu Pelletier is a certified competition development coach, registered in the advanced coaching diploma program at the Institut National du Sport du Quebec. He started coaching in 1992 as a recreational coach and has coached multiple athletes to podium success since then. Mathieu has been Head Coach of the Club de Canoë-Kayak de Trois-Rivières for 20 years. As an athlete, Mathieu achieved podium performance in crew boat events at the Canadian National Championships.

Mathieu studied at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and received a degree in Physical Education.

Mathieu has also won multiple Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence awards, which recognize coaches whose athletes excel at World Championships, Olympic/Paralympics or Special Olympics. He is a long-time coach of multiple time World Champion in Women’s Canoe Laurence Vincent-Lapointe. Canoe Kayak Canada is thrilled that Mathieu has joined the National coaching team and looks forward to the expertise he brings to the program.

Role: Canoe Slalom International Coach

Hometown: Mansle, France

Residence: Ottawa, ON

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2019

Clubs: Ottawa River Runners

Anthony Colin was a member of France’s Junior/U23/Senior Slalom teams from 1995-2002. He started coaching following his own paddling career and brings a wealth of knowledge to CKC’s slalom team as the International Coach.

Anthony studied at the Institut supérieur de Paris where he received a Master of Sport Management and Business Administration. He also holds a Master in Physical Training and Athlete Development.

After spending over 10 years in France coaching beginner and national team athletes, Anthony moved to Ottawa in 2016. He took on the role of Head Coach of Whitewater Ontario’s slalom high performance program and helped many Ontario slalom athletes develop their skills for national and international competition success. CKC was pleased to welcome Anthony to the national coaching team in 2019.

Role: Canoe Slalom National Team Next Gen Coach

Hometown: Drzewica, Poland

Residence: Gatineau, QC

First year coaching the Canadian National Team: 2001

Clubs: Ottawa River Runners

Michal Staniszewski was born in Drzewica, Poland and was a member of the Polish slalom team for fifteen years. Michal reached the podium in C2 at various international events including 3 medals at European Championships and multiple medals at World Cups between 1992-2000. He was Junior World Champion in 1990, World Champion in 1995, and capped off his career by winning a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in C2.

Michal holds a diploma in Coaching / Instruction from the University School of Physical Education in Cracow, Poland and received his level 4 coach certification through the National Coaching Institute in Toronto.

Canoe Kayak Canada and the Ottawa River Runners brought Michal to Canada in 2001 where he made a quick transition into coaching. He managed the National Development Program while also working as Head Coach for the Ottawa River Runners (2001-2007). He became the National Slalom Head Coach after the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and is now head of Canada’s Next Gen slalom program. Michal has been an invaluable part of Canada’s success and has had athletes reach the podium at multiple Pan Am Games and Pan Am Championships, along with many top 10 finishes at World Cups and World Championships.

Personal International Results:

2000 Olympic Games (Sydney, Australia) C2 – Silver

2000 European Championships (Mezzana, Italy) C2 – Bronze

1999 World Championships (La Seu d’Urgell, Spain) C2 – Silver

1996 European Championships (Augsburg, Germany) C2 team – Silver

1996 European Championships (Augsburg, Germany) C2 – Bronze

1995 World Championships (Nottingham, England) C2 – Gold

1990 Junior World Championships (Tavanasa, Switzerland) C2 – Gold