Participating in sport over the last year has been an increasingly difficult task due to Covid-19 for athletes having to travel out of the region.  Athletes train with the uncertainty of their events going ahead, and when they do, they are faced with extra costs to travel to other parts of Aotearoa due to the Auckland border and no events being held in Auckland.

The latest round of Kauri Club grants reflected these uncertain times with fewer applications than normal at this time of year. Nine athletes from seven different codes received grants to help them with travel to events outside the region.

Sport Northland System Lead, Janine Moy says “It’s difficult with so many national events being cancelled and our athletes missing out on opportunities, however it is also great to see in the applications we did receive, that many are still working hard towards an event and showing determination to get there despite uncertainty that Covid-19 presents.”

October 2021 Kauri Club Recipients:

Funding for the Kauri Club was received from the family of the late Garry Frew and the Brian Maunsell Memorial Trust fund and the grants are aimed to assist talented up and coming athletes to help them achieve their sporting achievements and further their sporting pathway.

Since its inception, over 600 athletes from across Northland have received a grant or scholarship - some of which include Northland sports icons such as Samantha Warriner and Blair Tuke.

Applications are assessed by the Northland Sports Talent Development Panel made up of representatives from the Far North, Kaipara and Whangarei Districts and Sport Northland.

About Sport Northland

Sport Northland is Northland’s Regional Sports Trust – a charitable trust with a core purpose of ‘enriching lives through play, active recreation and sport’ and a vision of ‘All Northlanders leading better lives through involvement in play, active recreation and sport’.

Sport Northland also has a number of flagship programmes, events, facilities and activities under its umbrella - these include the national award-winning region-wide Run/Walk Series, the national award winning Top Energy WaterSafe for Life programme and other successes such as Green Prescription, Active Workplaces, Healthy Active Learning, Secondary School events, He Oranga Poutama kaupapa as well as the work of our Community Connectors in a number of communities across the region.

Sport Northland also owns and operates both the McKay Stadium (incorporating Kensington Fitness) and the Northland Sports House and owns (however contracts out the management of) the Whangarei Aquatic Centre.

For further information please contact:

Janine Moy

System Lead

0274 303 085

janinem@sportnorth.co.nz