Contents Message from the ASC Our Partners in Sport Our Year in Focus 02 03 04 04 President’s Report 06 Chief Executive’s Report Our People Our Award Winners Our Website 09 16 17 Our Members Our Performance Financial Statements 18 31 57 18 Canoe South Australia 31 Olympic High Performance 19 Canoe Tasmania 38 Canoe Polo 21 Canoeing Victoria 40 Canoe Slalom 24 Canoeing Western Australia 42 Canoe Sprint 26 PaddleNSW 44 Canoe Marathon 29 Queensland Canoeing 47 Freestyle 48 Ocean Racing 49 Wildwater 51 Education and Safety 52 Athlete & Coach Pathways Our Teams 76 Australian Canoeing Ltd. presents this report to its members and external stakeholders for the purpose of reporting operational and financial performance for the period July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. ABN 61 189 833 125, canoe.org.au 1 1 Message from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC—funded, non—Winning Edge sports) The past year has seen has seen considerable success and progress for Australian sport, as the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and national sporting organisations (NSOs) continue to build on our nation’s proud sporting tradition. The Government’s 2014–15 investment of nearly $120 million into Australian sport continues to be refined to ensure funding is aligned to sports with the greatest potential to contribute to Australia’s Winning Edge 2012–2022 targets, and drive greater participation outcomes for sport. The sporting landscape has changed rapidly in recent years, as have the options for people’s scarce leisure time. More than ever before, sport faces tough competition for our attention from electronic media and other sedentary pursuits. In March the Commission launched Play.Sport.Australia. — our plan to help NSOs build participation in sport and make sure all Australians enjoy its benefits. Sports have the opportunity to attract more than 4.5 million Australians into their communities. It’s important that we work together to ensure that more Australians, particularly young Australians, participate in sport more often and that we have strong sporting organisations that deliver the products and opportunities Australians want. Other highlights in 2014–15 included: The transition to Sporting Schools and the development of its website — the main portal for sporting organisations, schools, coaches and parents to access this $100 million program which aims to reach more than 850,000 children. The development of the AusPlay survey — The ASC has committed to introducing a new national survey to better understand how Australians engage with, and play, sport. Good decisions require good data and this initiative by the ASC is critical. And through Australia’s Winning Edge we will continue to give our athletes the best chances at international success. So now, more than ever, we have a clear plan to make sure all Australians enjoy sport and maximise our chances of success. On behalf of the ASC I thank you for your hard work in helping us achieve these goals and I look forward to working with you in to the future. John Wylie AM Chair Australian Sports Commission 2 Our Partners in Sport Principal Partners The Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport are our principal funding partners, providing high performance and sport development resources for Australian Canoeing. We wish to recognise the ASC and the AIS High Performance Program for their continuing investment in the sport of canoe/kayak. Program Partners Australian Canoeing relies heavily on its Olympic profile to create participation and development opportunities. The ongoing funding and support of the Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Paralympic Committee is vital. Our relationships with the national sport academy and sport institute network are the foundation for providing elite paddling opportunities to talented athletes Australia-wide. The support of state and local government can never be underestimated. Official Sponsors Paddle Pals Australian Canoeing is proud to attract the support of industry partners through our ‘Paddle Pals’ scheme, suppliers and businesses who are focused on sport, paddling sport and the health and wellbeing of our members. http://canoe.org.au/membership/paddlepals-member-benefits/ 3 3 Our Year in Focus President’s Report In November 2014, the members of Australian Canoeing (AC) It is important that this model is stepped through unanimously voted to move AC from being an incorporated systematically, building on each phase. I am pleased to say that entity to a company limited by guarantee. This move, whilst in AC is moving on to the Research and Evidence phase now that line with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Governing we have established our purpose through our strategic plan, Principles, has also been an ambition of the Board since good Governance, Culture and Leadership. Canoeing was reviewed by Kidston in 2006. On 9 July 2015, In moving through these blocks a number of key areas were Australian Canoeing Inc. became Australian Canoeing Ltd. and identified as pivotal to our future success, specifically: whilst the change in name is unremarkable the change in responsibility and accountability for the Board and Seamless change of leadership for AC; management is significant. Seamless rollover of skilled Board members; Research to expand our appeal to the broader At our strategic forum in 2014 our members worked on the paddling community; new rolling Strategic Plan, which commenced in 2015. The Branding and a national symbol that represents our purpose of the rolling plan is to review it on an annual basis sport; and ensuring that the plan remains relevant to the sport’s overall Innovative thinking and strategies to move towards a vision and set at a level that is achievable and considers the more exciting and independent organisation. ever-changing environment of resourcing and capability. AC has progressed well in two of the four pillars, being the areas of participation and performance, however we have remained Under our new constitution my role as Chair and President of relatively stagnant in the areas of people and places. This will AC will conclude at our AGM 2016. I am very pleased to say that be looked at in detail at our 2015 forum. with the Board’s strategy on succession planning already underway and the proposed inclusion of a Vice Chair for AC, the The key drivers in remodeling our plan were based on the ASC change in leadership will be informed, prepared and seamless. Governance Principles, which detailed a prioritisation model that looked at building a solid base commencing with Purpose. This is illustrated in figure 1 below: Figure 1: ASC Governance Principles Model 4 Next year, we will also lose Martyn Clancy-Lowe from the Board Jess Fox and Lucien Delfour had a great season in slalom with under the same rules. Martyn was elected in April 2007 along Jess retaining her C1 World Crown and qualifying the WK1 with myself and whilst we will miss our roles it is time to allow quota place for 2016. others to take up the leadership of the Board. The Board will be looking for new members next year and I encourage you to Some outstanding performances were seen from our Ocean nominate those people that you believe have the skill set and Racing Teams who have taken out a monopoly at the Worlds potential to add value to our Board. with our male athletes winning every category from the Under 23s, six out of the seven total age categories as well as the Open Over the past year the Board has welcomed two new members category at the Worlds in Tahiti. Our women were also in the with the appointment of Ian Hume as an Independent Director top five for the Open category and either first or second in four and Anita Taylor as an Appointed Director under the new of the age categories. constitution. Their appointments have expanded the skill set of the Board and both have made valuable contributions to AC AC can proudly boast sixteen World Champions across four and to the Board. disciplines of the sport. This is an outstanding effort. From a Culture perspective, AC has enjoyed the support of its From a volunteer perspective I would like to acknowledge our member States on all of our proposed changes and former President and life member of AC, Helen Brownlee OAM improvements over the past seven years. This is not lost on the who has been awarded one of the highest honours that can be Board. bestowed upon a person in Australian Sport and that is to be inducted as a general member into The Sport Australia Hall of Our challenge over the next twelve months will be to move to Fame. Helen has been recognised for her involvement with a more exciting and relevant brand that will appeal to the sport over a span of fifty years as an athlete and as a volunteer broader paddling community. This discussion began at our last administrator, official, judge and champion of the Olympic forum where our State members and the Board unanimously Movement. She will join fellow canoeist and five time supported a change in name to include the term “Paddle” Olympian Clint Robinson as a member of the Hall of Fame. In rather than “Canoe”. This change in direction will better May this year Helen was also awarded the Olympic Order by capture our traditional members and expand our appeal and the President of the IOC Thomas Bach for her contribution to opportunities for the broader paddling community. World Sport and upholding the Olympic ideals. Helen’s contribution to canoeing, sport and the Oceania region is Our member States have also been supportive of the concept unparalleled and these acknowledgements are well deserved. of a unified brand that would give each State a unique look whilst aligning with AC to increase our appeal, reach and In closing, I would like to thank the management of AC and the potential commercial opportunities.