Photos: Maree Wilkinson
When slalom canoeist Finn Butcher won gold at the Paris Olympics, he famously dedicated his medal to his father Dale in an emotional gesture that won the hearts of the nation. But also with him was his girlfriend of nine years, fellow slalom canoeist Courtney Williams, who was assailed by a barrage of conflicting emotions.
“It was an incredibly tough time,” admits Courtney, 27. She juggles slalom training with her marketing job at Signature Homes in Mount Maunganui. “I’d been feeling pretty low because I’d just missed out on a place at the Games myself.
“Finn and I are really close with Australian slalom canoeist sisters Noemie and Jess Fox. They were all in the Olympics, but I wasn’t. Watching all my friends compete while I was on the sidelines was really tricky. I still find it hard to talk about.”
Adds Finn, 30, who divides his time between Auckland and Tauranga when he’s not competing all over the world, “It was hard for both of us as I’d qualified a few months before, but Courtney had made one mistake and lost her chance to compete in Paris. I wanted to do my best, but I also wanted to support Courtney.
“She’s my partner and I love her, and she was so disappointed. I understand how crushing it feels – I went through the same thing before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Courtney supported me then and this was my opportunity to support her.
“Of course, we’d thought about what could have been. It would have been amazing if Courtney had been there as an athlete as well as my partner. But she somehow managed to park her feelings and gave me the space I needed to prepare, and support me from the stands, which I’m incredibly grateful for.”
Working in such a competitive environment means Finn and Courtney have plenty of challenges thrown their way, including often not being in the same place for months at a time, but the couple make it work.
“We have so much fun together. His sense of fun is what attracted me to him in the first place,” tells Courtney, who first met Finn on her 18th birthday in Tekapō. “We were on a training camp and Mum had taken me to a local bar for a drink. Finn was there with a friend. Although we didn’t get together then, Finn moved up to Tauranga to live with a paddling family to train. That’s when our lives started to weave together.”
But it was only when the pair went to Australia together on a senior canoeing tour in 2016 that things got serious.
“He was such a fun guy and so friendly. I still remember him wandering around with bright pink zinc sunscreen on his face!” laughs Courtney.
“She was so funny and obviously a bit of a cutie!” agrees Finn. “She’s a lot of fun to hang out with and was always up for an adventure. She was really bubbly and had heaps of energy – she’s still like that!”
The first year of the couple’s relationship was almost entirely long-distance, with Courtney competing in the Junior Under 23 New Zealand team and Finn on the senior team, which saw him spend a lot of time in Europe.
“We made up for it when he came home, though. We went from hardly seeing each other to moving in together!” says Courtney.
Although the pair supports each other’s sporting goals, there’s no shortage of friendly-ish competition!
“We egg each other on – we love winding each other up,” grins Courtney. “If Finn isn’t doing well at training, his coach will make a point of reminding him I could do it much better!”
Adds Finn, “She’s so stubborn – she won’t fail, no matter what.”
This year’s couple challenge was to run twice a week, every week.
“We’re allowed to swap one run for something like mountain biking or aerobics, but we have to do something,” says Courtney. “If either of us doesn’t do it, we have to pay $50. So far, Finn’s the only one who’s put any money in!”
Although there’s no ring yet, an engagement is likely on the cards.
“He told me at the beginning of our relationship that he had an eight-year rule and he’s stuck to it – but we’re at nine years now,” smiles Courtney pointedly.
But while Finn remains close-lipped about any future plans, these two have clearly found their one.
“She has so much empathy, and brings me so much love, energy and care,” he says.
Enthuses Courtney, “Finn grew up in a small community that comes together for each other and he is so caring. At the moment, he’s fixing a kid’s boat, just because he can. He cares so much and he has a great sense of fun. He’s the perfect person for me.”
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