New Zealand is set to send its joint largest ever contingent of three Para athletes to compete at an ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships when the action gets underway at the 2025 edition in Milan, Italy (20-24 August). Ahead of the pinnacle Paracanoe sprint event of the calendar year, we talk to Kiwi World Championships debutant Finn Murphy.
Finn Murphy sometimes has to pinch himself to remind him of the remarkable Para canoe journey he has undertaken.
Losing his leg in a motorbike accident in 2021, Finn first engaged with Para canoe around 12 months later and after making an eye-catching international debut at the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup in Poznan, where he triumphed in the B Final this has given him the confidence and belief he can perform well in Milan.
“I’m feeling good in the boat technically and have been moving quick so I’m hoping to improve on my results from Poznan,” explains Finn, 29, a member of intake two of the Para Sport Collective, supported by ACC. “I finished 10th overall (in Poznan), so if I can move up a few places in the ranks for the world champ event, I’ll know that the training I’ve been doing at home is yielding results. Every race from now on is an opportunity to improve on the previous result and refine my race plan and style.”
Raised on a lifestyle block in Tuakau – south of Auckland – he played a range of sports in his younger days and was crowned a national club rowing champion in 2015, winning the double sculls alongside his brother, Eli.
Yet keen to sample a different sport post-accident he turned to Para canoe racing under the tutelage of his coach, Gavin Elmiger, at the North Shore Canoe Club. Training alongside former world canoe sprint champion Aimee Fisher has proved inspirational and he learned a lot from his international debut in Poznan in May 2025.
“Poland was essential for getting race experience and learning about how to manage the pressures of racing,” explains Finn. “I had a wide spectrum of experiences across the three races I had there. I went into my heat blind in terms of where I was at and because of that I exceeded my expectations by finishing second. I fell flat in my semi due to some nerves and being overexcited about the potential of making an A final, so it was disappointing to miss out on that by one place and a few hundredths of a second, but it meant that I felt like I had something to prove going into the B final. I won my B final and raced a far better race than my semi, so I felt good about implementing some of the learnings from my semifinal. Post World Cup we adjusted the focus of our training sessions, and I’ve made some solid ground technically. If I can implement it in the racing, I’m confident the results will be good.”
Preparing for the 2025 ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Milan at Lake Pusiano in Italy near Como has gone well. The location and weather have allowed for some consistent training conditions and Finn has delivered “some good speed in the boat” and proficient technical work which he hopes will allow him to thrive in the Men’s KL3 200m
Yet whatever happens in northern Italy later this week, he has promised himself to enjoy the experience.
“I’m at an age where time seems to fly, so I have to keep reminding myself that it’s only been a short time since I started and I still have a reasonably young training age,” he adds, “I’m hugely grateful to be in the position that I am. Perhaps because it’s happened so quickly, a bit of imposter syndrome creeps in, but I’m proud of where I’m at and optimistic of where I’m going. To be given the opportunity to test myself against the best is a massive privilege.”
Which other Kiwi athletes will be competing in Milan
Besides, debutant Finn, Paralympian #231 Peter Cowan returns to the global stage following his magnificent bronze medal in the Men’s 200m VL3 at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The 30-year-old above-the-knee amputee produced a magnificent performance in the French capital 11 months ago and it will be fascinating to see how he fares in his specialist event in Milan. The three-strong New Zealand team is rounded out by three-time Paralympian #198 Scott Martlew. The 32-year-old Christchurch-based paddler is a multiple-winning medallist on the World Championship stage and finished fifth in the Men’s 200m KL2 at Paris 2024. Martlew competes in the KL2 200m.
Tell me more about the event
The 2025 ICF Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships will be held on the iconic Idroscalo in Milan – an artificial lake originally built as a water airport in the late 1920s. The historic Milanese venue last staged the World Championships ten years ago and this year marks the 90th anniversary of the first competition in Idroscalo.
When do the Kiwis compete?
Cowan is the first of the Kiwis in action competing in heat one of the Men’s 200m VL3 at 1.58am (NZ time) on Thursday 21 August. Martlew and Murphy open their account in Milan on Friday 22 August with the former appearing in heat two of the Men’s 200m KL2 at 1.45am and the latter competing in heat two of the Men’s 200m KL3 at 2am on Friday 22 August.
Check out the current start lists here
A provisional schedule is available here (note, this is subject to change).
How can I watch the action?
The event will be live streamed via the Planet Canoe YouTube channel, the official YouTube channel of the International Canoe Federation. To watch, you will need a membership subscription – it costs $16.99NZD for a monthly subscription.
Sign into YouTube, or create an account, and click JOIN to watch uninterrupted live coverage of the world’s best paddlers competing for top honours.
- Sign in to YouTube, or create an account
- Go to Planet Canoe’s channel
- Click ‘JOIN’ and fill out your payment details
Sky Sport NZ will also broadcast the event.
