CanoeKayak Canada Sadly Announces Passing Of A Great Athlete And Friend

Reprinted from the CKC Website

OTTAWA, ON – CanoeKayak Canada sadly announces the passing of a great athlete and friend. John Wood of Oakville, ON has died suddenly at the age of 62.

DICK LOEK / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

John Wood proudly shows off his silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. 

The Canadian canoeing great died on Jan. 23 at age 62.

Wood won a silver medal for Canada in the C1 500 metre event at the 1976 Montréal Olympic Games. In addition to the excitement of medalling on home water, his podium finish put an end to Canada’s twenty-four year medal drought in CanoeKayak events at the Olympic Games. Wood also competed at the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games in singles and the tandem events with his partner, Scott Lee. At the 1977 World Championships, he won a Silver medal in the C2 500 metre event with his partner, Greg Smith.

Last July, Wood joined past medalists Larry Cain, Alwyn Morris and Steve Giles at a send-off event for CKC’s Olympic athletes and offered words of inspiration to the team. Wood was Patron of CanoeKayak Canada and has been a supporter of several canoe clubs and charities.

He will be remembered fondly by the paddling community and all those who knew him.