Geoff Walker

Who was Geoff Walker?

Geoffrey Seddon Walker was a Kiwi canoeist who competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics in the K-2 500m Men's Canoe/Kayak Flatwater event.

He first represented New Zealand in swimming, but narrowly missed selection for the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. Then he became one of New Zealand’s top surf lifesavers, and the New Zealand surf ski champion six times between 1974 and 1988.

He branched into kayaking, was selected for the team for the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

He was in the New Zealand surf lifesaving team in 1980, 1982 and 1988. He won the New Zealand ironman championship four times, and in 1988 won three golds at the national championships in surf ski, surf ski rescue and double surf ski.

He was born in Christchurch, and died in Christchurch, aged 45, after a long illness. He was survived by his wife Melanie, his sons Rhys and Toby, and daughters Samantha and Lucy.