Greg Smale - British

Greg Smale - Member of the World Paddle Awards Academy

Greg Smale has been involved in canoeing for 40 years, starting as a boy scout at the age of fourteen. With some experience marathon and canoe life-saving Greg has predominantly been involved in canoe slalom and canoe polo with a highest UK ranking in slalom of 32.
Greg represented GBR in Canoe Polo team for 10 years and won circa 25 internationals as well as silver and bronze at the European and World championships.

Greg has been involved in coaching the GBR Women and Men (four years each) to eight consecutive European and World Canoe Polo Championship Finals achieving three worlds and one European gold. He has also coached Sweden Men for two years.

He is a UK Sport International Leadership Programme graduate; Level 5 Canoe Polo Coach and holder of the BC Award of Merit; holder of  the ICF Award of Merit for Services to Canoeing and an ICF Grade ‘A’ Canoe Polo Referee.

Greg has been Chief Official for two World Games and four World Championships and has held other leadership positions at various World and European championships.

He has helped develop coaches and the national teams of Australia, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Namibia, New Zealand and Malaysia.
Between 2006 and 2014 Greg was ICF Canoe Polo Chair and Board Member. He negotiated the first non-canoeing related sponsor for the ICF.

In 2016 Greg was re-elected ICF Chair Canoe Polo.  In 2018 he negotiated new sponsorship which will deliver more than £400K in value to Canoe Polo.