The four-time Olympic gold medallist Ian Ferguson, one of the three national coaches no longer required by Canoe Racing New Zealand, is mystified as to why they've been axed.
Sport and Recreation New Zealand's review of the sport has seen the departure of Ferguson and fellow national coaches Paul MacDonald and Andras Szabo, CRNZ's board deciding not to renew the trio's contracts following the SPARC review.
Ferguson says he has been given no explanation for the decision and it's strange especially given how well the women went under MacDonald at the World Championships, which Ferguson says was their best ever result.
He says they were the success story of the whole event but you can't battle the bureaucrats.
Ferguson says he's personally fine as he's spent eight years trying to help and now he's got time to go on holiday with his wife.
But he's also bemused by the lack of support for local coaches, given CRNZ is now looking offshore for their replacements.
