Canoe slalom Podium Technical Coach Craig Morris is set to depart Paddle UK after 20 years of coaching in the sport.
Since becoming a programme coach in 2006, Craig has played a pivotal role in the success of British slalom, fully committed to creating the best team around his athletes, which has led to medal success at Olympic Games, World, European and U23 Championships.
Overseeing three athletes to win four Olympic medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games, Craig has successfully coached across the three international disciplines of kayak, canoe, and the new Olympic sport of kayak cross.
Coaching Mallory Franklin, Adam Burgess, and Kimberley Woods to their Olympic debuts at Tokyo 2020, Craig worked with Mallory to her silver medal in the inaugural individual women’s canoe event.
Craig then played a key role in the record-breaking success at Paris 2024, coaching Kimberley Woods to double bronze in the women’s kayak and kayak cross, and Adam Burgess winning his men’s canoe silver in the French capital.
His innovative approaches to motivate and engage athletes, alongside working with external partners to seek best practice has been hugely significant in his success.
“Paddlesport has been a massive part of my life,” Craig said.
“Looking back now on a 20-year coaching career, I’m really grateful for what paddling, particularly coaching, has brought to me.
“I started coaching at 23 and I’m now in my 40s. It’s always been a pivotal part of who I am.
“I owe a massive amount of my coaching development to Kimberley Woods, Adam Burgess and Mallory Franklin, but not just those three.
“To their support teams, coaching colleagues and other athletes I have been fortunate enough to be invited on their journey to support.
“For Mal, Kim and Adam, it’s rare a coach gets the length of term of relationship that I’ve been able to have.
“It’s been a privilege to work with them, to observe their growth as people and to see them all achieve at the highest levels of this sport. I feel very fortunate for the time we have had.”
Alongside success at an Olympic level, Craig has coached his athletes to World titles.
In 2017, he worked with Mallory Franklin as she won her first canoe World title in Pau. At the 2023 World Championships, he coached Kimberley Woods to her first global title as she claimed gold in the kayak cross.
“I grew up in the community as a paddler and have journeyed from the canal networks of the West Midlands through two high-performance centres as a coach.
“I’d like to thank everyone I’ve been privileged enough to spend time with and work alongside. They’ve been a massive influence on me as a coach.
“I don’t think it’s goodbye to the sport from me. It holds a special place and the people within it. We will see what the future holds”
Keir Worth, Director of Paddlesport at Paddle UK, said:
“I would like to thank Craig for his incredible work over the last 20 years with Paddle UK and the impact he has had on the sport.
“Craig has been dedicated to developing into the best possible coach he can be.
“He has continuously studied coaching, persistently analysed his own performance, and the athletes he has worked with have enjoyed tremendous success, including at the Olympic and World levels.
“Most importantly, they have always enjoyed their paddling, racing, and partnership with Craig.
“He will be greatly missed by everyone at Paddle UK, but we are delighted that he wishes to stay connected to the sport and the organisation in the future.”