GB Canoeing - Following a thorough recruitment process GB Canoeing has appointed Canadian Rob Sleeth as Men’s Sprint 1000m coach. Sleeth, who begins his new role later this week, comes from a highly successful 21 year coaching and senior leadership role with Canada’s National Sprint Canoe Team.

He was Canoe Discipline Coach (1978-1981), Men’s Kayak Discipline Coach (1982-1984), Head Coach (1985-1988) and High Performance Director (1989-1999).

A member of five Canadian Olympic Teams between 1980 and 1996, Sleeth was the coach responsible for the Olympic gold and bronze medal winning K2 crew in 1984, and World Championship medal winning crews in 1982, 1983 and 1985.

“We are very pleased to appoint Rob to our sprint coaching team,” said GB Canoeing’s Performance Director John Anderson MBE.

“Having coached athletes to Olympic gold medal success he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience which I believe will make him a real asset to our athletes and our programme.

“This appointment brings the post London recruitment process to an end and we now have a quality coaching line up led by Sprint Head Coach, Scott Gardner.

“We look forward to the next two seasons as we step the programme up towards Olympic qualification in 2015 and the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.”

Sleeth is graduate of York University and the University of Western Ontario, where he studied exercise physiology and coaching science, and a founding member of the Canadian Professional Coaches Association.

Since 1999, when he started a consultancy in the field of psychometrics and best hiring practices, he has remained involved in the domestic canoeing arena in Canada.

Looking forward to starting his new role, Sleeth said: “I am very excited to join the team of dedicated professionals at GB Canoeing as they work to assist talented athletes in achieving success through Rio 2016 and beyond.

“The success of Men’s Kayak athletes in the UK over the past 35 years is impressive. I look forward to working with the Men’s Kayak 1000m athletes and coaches at all performance levels to support the next generation of athletes who aspire to consistent podium performances at the international level.”