Note that all board members can be contacted via email, using the following format: firstname.lastname@canoe.org.au
Danielle first became involved in Canoeing in 1979 through the Illawarra Canoe Club in NSW. She was primarily interested in the disciplines of Slalom and Wildwater, although over her career she has been involved in Canoe Polo, Flatwater, Multi Sport Marathons, Dragon Boat Racing and Touring.
She was selected to her first Senior Australian Slalom Team in 1982 and remained on the senior team every year until her retirement in 2001. Over those years she was also involved with canoeing at committee and institute level. Since 2005 she has been involved with Canoeing in the capacity of National Selector for Slalom, although she has represented Slalom Canoeing over many years in the capacity of State Delegate and Paddlers Representative to Australian Canoeing, and Victorian Delegate to the Victorian Olympic Council. She held the position of National Coach in 1997 as well as the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Coach in 1997 for Slalom Canoeing. During her tenure with the VIS she also worked in the area of Athlete Career and Education for the sports of Tennis and Softball. She has also held positions with the Athletes Advisory Commission for ASADA and working groups as the Australian Sports Commission, Australian Institute of Sport or the Australian Olympic Council required. Danielle has also managed national teams overseas, and dealt with budget and resource issues on a daily basis whilst employed by the Victorian Institute of Sport. She has been a Federal Agent with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for 21 years. Her role within the AFP has given her a good understanding of the legal system and common law principles, and she is conversant in reading legislation and dealing with corporate governance on a daily basis.
Her ability to achieve results is best demonstrated by her competitive career in Slalom Canoeing. She held the National Women’s Slalom title from 1983 until 2001 (only beaten twice in that time), and in 1992 she won a Silver Medal at the Olympics in Barcelona. She also won the World Cup in Spain in 1994 (the first Australian to win a World Cup event in Slalom), and this was achieved whilst holding down a career with the Australian Federal Police.
Danielle retired from competitive canoeing in 2001 and coaching in 2002 to spend more time involved with the Federal Police and overseas deployments to East Timor with the United Nations. In 2005, she became a selector for the National Senior Slalom Team. She has always been heavily involved in the sport and believes that her knowledge and skills both in and out of the sport will be an asset to the board. Danielle was also awarded an OAM in 2002 for her services to sport, particularly to slalom canoeing and Olympic sport.
Martyn has been involved in canoeing and surf ski paddling since the late 1970s and still competes actively. He holds professional qualifications in the business commerce area up to the post graduate level of MBA, and has held positions on a number of sporting bodies including swimming clubs, surf clubs, and the Australian Emergency Services Games Board. In the sporting arena he has been a race director for a number of triathlon and open water events.
His greatest level of achievement in sport administration was the Games Director for the 2004 Australasian Police & Emergency Services Games, which covered over 35 sports and more than 2000 competitors. Financially this was a success with the Minister for Tourism (WA) claiming it brought over $10 million into Western Australia. He is passionate about sport and is committed to his new role at Australian Canoeing. His professional work currently requires a high level of strategic focus, interpersonal skills and implementation of change across different agencies.
Robbie represented South Africa at Long Distance, Wild Water and Sprint Canoeing as well as Surf Lifesaving. He was South African champion in 500m K1; 500m, 1000m and 10,000m K2 and K4 between 1974 and 1980. In addition Robbie won many of South Africa’s major marathons including the Pietermaritzburg to Durban “Duzi” Marathon and the PE2EL Ski Race.
Due to South Africa’s “Apartheid” policies, which led to their suspension from international sport, Robbie’s era of canoeists were prevented from competing in the Olympic or World Championships.
It was his Olympic dream and a desire to create employment in the “new” South Africa that led Robbie to initiate the process of South Africa bidding, unsuccessfully, for the 2004 Olympics. He worked as Director of Sport and Facilities for the Cape Town 2004 Olympic Bid. His experience in the planning and cost management of Olympic and sports events resulted in Robbie, and his family, moving to Sydney in 1999 to work for consultants working on the Sydney Olympics
While at University Robbie started the University of Natal (now Kwazulu-Natal) Canoe Club and served on various club committees and race organising committees for the next 30 years. Robbie was President of the KwaZulu–Natal Canoe Union and South African Canoe Federation
In addition to his experience with the Sydney Olympics, Robbie organised some of the first Slalom competitions in South Africa and has served on the organising committee of the African Athletics Championships, the World Junior Weightlifting Championships, the World Fencing Championships and the World Marathon Canoeing Championships. His professional life includes cost management consulting on the Doha 2008 Asian games and the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
His most satisfying achievement in canoeing has been starting the “Valley Assistance Fund” through which canoeists in Kwazulu-Natal contribute to building classrooms on to rural schools in the river valleys they traverse. Since 1982 this program has raised thousands of dollars resulting in the upgrading of more than 40 schools.
Despite spending most of his career racing, he rates his happiest times in canoeing doing river trips on Africa’s wild rivers and the Colorado “Grand Canyon” in the USA. A member of Manly Lifesaving Club and Manly Warringah Kayak Club, Robbie paddles to keep fit and competes mainly in Surf Lifesaving masters and ocean racing events.
A recent appointment to Australian Canoeing as Independent Director, James Rennell has more than 25 years experience in business marketing, and has more recently held directorships in property ventures including residential and retail development projects. In his development roles he has liaised with all levels of corporate Australia including the financial, legal and local government sectors. His public relations, design management and business development experience stands him in good stead to utilise his vast knowledge to develop marketing strategies for the future of Australian Canoeing.
Keith has worked in elite sport since 1980. He is a former national coach for canoe slalom in Wales and has coached canoe slalom athletes in Australia since 2003. As the former Head of Department of Biomechanics and Performance Analysis, Australian Institute of Sport he worked closely with the canoe slalom and sprint programs.
Keith is currently the Director of the National Institute of Sports Studies, University of Canberra. He brings with him skills in innovative use of information and communications technology, NSO Governance, Club development, Coach education and development, Officiating and Athlete pathways.
Catherine is a Canberra resident who holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Adelaide. She has more than 13 years’ experience in sports law and anti-doping internationally and has been involved in a number of tribunals involving disciplinary and anti-doping matters.
Andrea hails from Tasmania and has been heavily involved in the sport both at a State level and Nationally
Andrea has served as a Development Officer, Board Member, Chair of the Slalom and Wildwater Committee for Canoe Tasmania. She was co-organiser of the 2009 Wildwater World Cup, she has been on the organising committee for numerous National Champs, all while being a competitor, WW coach extraordinaire, mother, Wildside MTB organiser and Cataract Extreme organiser.
The 28 year old Surf Lifesaver from the Gold Coast, Queensland, was the star of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, leading the Australian charge winning gold in the men’s K1 500 and bronze in the K1 1000, going on to win the AIS Athlete of the Year, Sunday Telegraph Athlete of the Year and Gold Coast Athlete of the Year awards.
Directors Retired since 1997 (1).
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