The world of canoeing is mourning the passing of Frank Garner who left an indelible mark on the sport with his passion and positivity.

The International Canoe Federation is deeply saddened by the news that Garner has passed away at the age of 80.

Garner was a cherished member of the canoeing community, playing an influential role in the push for gender equality in Canoe Sprint and the inclusion of Paracanoe.

The Canadian led the ICF Canoe Sprint Committee from 2008 to 2021, officiating at many Olympic Games, with his last coming at Tokyo 2020.

Born in August 1944, Garner’s paddling talent was clear from an early age as he clinched canoe double 1000m bronze at the1962 Junior World Championships in Essen, Germany.

Garner attended Port Credit Secondary School in Ontario before moving to St Mary’s University in Nova Scotia where he captained the university's American Football team.

After obtaining a Master of Coaching Diploma, Garner started to establish himself in Nova Scotia as he became the first head coach of Cheema Canoe Club in Waverley in 1969.

Garner went on to coach the Canadian Olympic team, leading them at Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984.

Under his leadership, Canada achieved more than 50 international medals with six of those coming at LA 1984.

Garner was the General Manager of the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Dartmouth, Canada.

A year earlier, Garner became Chair of the ICF Canoe Sprint Committee – a role he held until 2021.

As an international official, Garner was the Chief Official for Canoe Sprint at Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

As Chair of the ICF Canoe Sprint Committee, Garner led the proposal for gender equality at the Olympics as six men’s and six women’s events featured on the programme at Tokyo 2020.

Garner won multiple awards and was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.

The Frank Garner Boat House was also named in his honour at the Cheema Canoe Club.

Long-time friend Allan MacDonald first met Garner was he was coached by him at the age of 14 in 1976.

“Frank was one of the most positive influences in my life,” said MacDonald.

“He was unerringly positive throughout his life and enormously helpful.

“He was willing to entertain anyone who spoke with him.

“I can never recall hearing the word ‘No’ from Frank whenever someone asked him to give them advice or to help guide them.

“I’m sure this would be reflected in comments from the hundreds of people who he coached over the years.

“He was just everywhere you looked in the canoeing world.

“You would bump into him everywhere and he was a positive influence to anyone he came into contact with.

“It’s a great loss for our community.”

Casey Wade, Chief Executive of Canoe Kayak Canada, also paid tribute to Garner.

“It’s very sad for the whole international canoeing community,” said Wade.

“He has been a leader for over 25 years and just a delightful and wonderful man.

“He would do everything for anyone.

“People have come up to me in tears because he has mentored them and helped to advance the sport.”

John Edwards, Chair of the ICF Paracanoe Committee, has many fond memories of Garner during their friendship that began in the 1970s.

“We worked together for 12 years on the Board of Directors of the ICF, travelling to meetings and discussing everything together,” said Edwards.

“We worked in the interests of the ICF for the inclusion of women’s canoeing and Paracanoe.

“Frank was a supportive person for the integration of Paracanoe into the sprint family and look at the fruit that bears today.

“His life was canoeing. He went from paddling on one knee in Onterio to the higher echelons of management within the International Canoe Federation headquarters in Lausanne.

“You have to think about that journey.

“He stated a canoe club in Canada and continued to support it. There are not many people who have the fortitude and consistency to do that and he was one of them.

“He was a passionate about what he believed in and he was a very diplomatic about how he wanted to achieve things.

“There was a deep well of energy, interest, passion and intelligence in how to conduct himself.”

The ICF would like to express sincere condolences to Garner’s family and friends. Rest in peace, Frank.