Ian Ferguson (canoer)

Ian Gordon Ferguson MBE (born July 20, 1952 in Taumarunui) is New Zealand's most successful Olympian, competing in K1, K2, and K4 kayak events. He first competed at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada. He also completed at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow when almost all other New Zealand athletes boycotted the games under pressure from their government. However, it was not until the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles that he was successful, earning three gold medals (K1 500m, K2 500m with Paul MacDonald and K4 1000m with Grant Bramwell, Alan Thompson and MacDonald). He then earned another gold medal in the K2 500m and a silver medal in the K2 1000m (both with MacDonald) at the 1988 Olympic Games held in Seoul, Korea. He is the only New Zealander to have competed in five Olympic Games and his four gold medals is still the New Zealand record for an individual haul at the Games.

At the age of 40, he contested his fifth Olympics at the 1992 Olympics. He and Paul MacDonald again performed extremely well. They competed in the K2 500 and K 2 1000 and made the final of the longer race.

After retiring from top-level canoeing, Ferguson, who had initially trained as an accountant, remained involved in the sport. He set up a marine sports and Kayak hire business – in Auckland & Wellington www.fergskayak.co.nz/Ian-Ferguson [http://www.fergskayaks.co.nz/Ian-Ferguson-Ferg.614.0.html] ; spent time designing and developing new kayaks and became a national coach and administrator.

Ferguson and his wife Alison have two sons. One, Steven, became an Olympic swimmer and then, in 2003, devoted himself to canoeing. Ferguson became the coach of the New Zealand canoeing team and in particular advised his son and another promising paddler, Ben Fouhy. At the 2003 world champs, Fouhy won the K1 1000 gold medal and Fouhy and Steve Ferguson were fourth in the K2 1000. Ian Ferguson was selected as a finalist in the 2003 Halberg Award coach of the Year category. He won the Lonsdale Cup in 1979 and 1984 on his own and also in 1985, this time with partner Paul MacDonald.

Because he had such a stellar canoeing career, Ferguson’s surf lifesaving prowess is often overlooked. He was one of the big names in this sport in New Zealand. In 1972 he distinguished himself by carrying off the New Zealand Ironman, surf ski and long board titles. Thereafter he won national surf lifesaving titles almost at will. Among the other individual titles he won were the ironman in 1974, 75 and 76, the surf ski race in 1976, 77 and 90, and the Malibu board race in 1976. Ferguson won gold and silver medals competing for New Zealand in surf lifesaving. In 1991, Ferguson won four gold medals in the 35-40 age group at the surf lifesaving world masters, held in New Zealand. In 1998 he took part at the Rescue 1998, the World Masters Championships (ILS), held in Muriwaii, New Zealand.

Ferguson was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. He was "Sportsman of the Year" (the precursor to the Halberg Awards) in 1984 and a finalist in 1985 and '88.

Ferguson also starred in the NZ TV show "Clash of the Codes", having been in the winning team on 2 occasions.

Reference

* [http://www.olympic.org.nz/Athletes/AthleteProfile.aspx?Print=&ContactID=1175 Profile on New Zealand Olympic Committee]