After experiencing his debut international campaign last year, Para canoeist Finn Murphy is set to begin his second season of overseas competition at the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup in Brandenburg, Germany (14–17 May), targeting a top eight finish.
Murphy, a below-the-knee amputee, emerged last season as a New Zealand international. He claimed victory in the Men’s 200m KL3 B Final on his World Cup debut in Poznań, Poland, and later placed ninth in the A Final of the Men’s 200m KL3 on his World Championships debut in Milan.
Now, with a year of experience behind him, he hopes to perform at a higher level in 2026.
“I definitely want to improve on last year’s result at the World Cup,” says the Auckland-based Murphy. “My goal is to constantly improve, and to do that I need to trust the process. The long-term goal, like for any Para athlete, is to become a Paralympic champion.”
Murphy lost his leg following a motorbike accident in 2021 and took up Para canoe just 12 months later. Drawing on impressive upper-body strength developed during his time as a national gold medal-winning rower, he has adapted quickly to the Para sport.
Based at North Shore Canoe Club, he earned his first international selection for New Zealand last year and looks back on the experience with pride.
“I was happy with 2025,” he says. “I approached it with an open mind, just wanting to get a feel for racing internationally. The psychology of racing at that level was interesting. The 200m distance is short – it doesn’t give you a chance to make a mistake – so it’s important to be calm at the start but also explosive.
“What I learned is that so much of the Para sport is mental. If you can ignore the noise and focus on executing to the best of your ability, you’ll get consistent results.”
While acknowledging that his strength is a key asset, Murphy, 29, has focused on making technical improvements during the domestic summer season. In the gym, he has shifted his emphasis from lifting heavy weights to moving weights more quickly and explosively.
On the water, he is working to create better balance in his stroke.
“As a below-the-knee amputee, I’m quite upper-body dominant, but I need to shift more pressure through my lower body and engage my legs more,” adds Murphy, a member of intake two of the Para Sport Collective, supported by ACC. “A big focus has been embedding those movement patterns into the way I paddle.”
Murphy has also benefited from a change in coaching structure. Previously coached by Gavin Elmiger, his day-to-day training is now overseen by Emily Willock, Canoe Racing New Zealand’s National Development Coach. Elmiger continues to set the overall programme, while Willock provides on-water technical guidance.
“Emily is now my on-water coach who keeps me in line technically, and I get a lot more one-on-one attention,” he explains. “The work is much the same as I would do with Gav, but hearing the same ideas expressed in a slightly different way can really help things click.”
Although Murphy was not entirely satisfied with his performance in the rough conditions – caused by a descending Cyclone Vaianu – at the New Zealand Canoe Sprint Championships in April, he believes he is well prepared for the challenges ahead in Brandenburg and later at the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Poznań in August.
“There’s no real litmus test for where you stand internationally from domestic racing, but I’m excited to see where I stack up against other Para athletes,” he says. “My times in training have been strong, and I’m consistently getting quicker over 200m.
“It would be great to improve on last year at both the World Cup and the World Championships. A top eight finish is the goal for both regattas, but, ultimately, I want to be a medal contender.”
As for life as an international Para athlete, Murphy is embracing the journey.
“As strange as it might sound, I’m grateful for the loss of my limb, and competing internationally is the cherry on top. The injury has redirected my life in a hugely positive way, and to reach this point with so much support from others has been incredible.”
