2017 - 2014
Our funding rounds are held twice yearly at the end of March and September with the latest round seeing grants awarded to:-
Liam Back – Cross Country, selected to compete at the NZ Secondary Schools World Cross Country Champs being held in Paris, France in April 2018.
Jordan Cohen - Hockey, identified to attend the U18 NZ Hockey Squad selection training in New Plymouth, NZ.
Genna Maples – Athletics, selected as part of the NZ Secondary Schools track and Field team to compete in the Australian Athletics Nationals being held in Australia in December 2017.
Tara Raj – Golf, Competing in women’s Open and U19 NZ Tournaments in NZ & Australia.
Fergus Smith – Golf, selected to attend the University in Iowa, USA to assist with and enhance his Golfing career.
We consider this to be an exciting and important initiative for Whanganui and sincerely thank our sponsors and supporters who make this possible.
Finally, on behalf of the Future Champions Trust we wish you all the best for your sporting endeavours this year and in the future.
The Latest successful grant recipients are:
Max Brown – Kayak, selected to compete at the U18 Canoe Sprint World Championships being held in Romania in July 2017 where he will compete in the K4, 500m and possibly the K2, 1000m.
Jimi Bay Blinkhorne – Roller Hockey, Attending to Spain for an intensive month long training camp in May/June 2017, where he will train with professional roller hockey players.
Jessica Watkin - Cricket, selected to represent New Zealand in the U22 women’s indoor cricket team to compete at the world cup in Dubai, September 2017.
Chase Morpeth – Speed Skating, selected to compete at the Oceania Speed Skating championships in Brisbane, April 17. Chase achieved two silver medals in the 200m time trial and the 3000m in a 2 man relay team. He also brought home two bronze medals in the 5000m points race and 21km half marathon.
Baker-Hogan says: "It’s exciting to once again be able to support some new athletes in sports that the Trust has generally not supported previously and this highlights the wide and varied sporting talent we are breeding in Whanganui. Trustees are so grateful to Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui, Leedstown Trust and all our wonderful supporters, who make our regular twice-yearly grants possible.”
Sport Whanganui CEO and Trustee, Danny Jonas says Sport Whanganui see the Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui Future Champions Trust as a great opportunity to profile some of our outstanding young sports achievers as role models for younger children in Whanganui. The Trust also fits perfectly in supporting Sport Whanganui's Promising Athlete Programme, which helps support identified sporting achievers with other support to assist their sporting performance.
Hayden Gibson, owner of Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui, the Trust's naming sponsor, says: "As a local Wanganui business we are committed to giving back to our community and, along with Wanganui’s Mitre 10 MEGA Tough Kid® event, we see the Future Champions Trust as a great vehicle to support up-and-coming champions, role models and future leaders in our community."
The successful grant recipients are:
Sapere Simon – Kayak, selected to compete at the U18 Work Kayak Championships held in Belarus in July 2016.
Daniel Kauika – Waka Ama, selected to compete in the NZ U19 Men’s elite team attending the world Waka Ama Championships in Australia in May 2016.
Jackie Gowler - Rowing, selected to represent New Zealand in the NZ Women's Eight at the World Under 23 World Championships, in Rotterdam, Netherlands from 21 - 28 August 2016.
Millie Manning – Gymnastics, selected to compete in the NZ development team in Hawaii in January 2016.
Emma Rainey – Hockey, selected to represent Central Districts in both Women’s under 21 and under 18 teams at national tournament in July/August 2016.
Opetini Dryden – Track n Field, Javelin, selected to compete at the 2016 Oceania Regional (Polynesian) Championships in Tahiti in April 2016.
Jazmin Phillips – Triathlon, selected to compete at the 2016 Age Group World Championships (aquathlon) in Mexico 2016.
Finn Brown – Judo, selected to compete at the Oceania Judo Championships held in Canberra, April 2016.
Erica Tanner – Kayak, selected to compete in the NZ U23 World Kayak Championships held in Belarus in July 2016.
Georgia Nugent-O'Leary – Rowing, selected to represent New Zealand in the Women's Eight at the World Under 23 Rowing Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands from 21 - 28 August 2016.
Baker-Hogan says: "It’s exciting to once again be able to support some new athletes in sports that the two-year-old Trust has generally not supported previously and this highlights the wide and varied sporting talent we are breeding in Wanganui. Trustees are so grateful to Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui and all our wonderful supporters, who make our regular twice-yearly grants possible.”
Sport Whanganui CEO and Trustee, Danny Jonas says Sport Whanganui see the Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui Future Champions Trust as a great opportunity to profile some of our outstanding young sports achievers as role models for younger children in Whanganui. The Trust also fits perfectly in supporting Sport Whanganui's Promising Athlete Programme, which helps support identified sporting achievers with other support to assist their sporting performance.
Hayden Gibson, owner of Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui, the Trust's naming sponsor, says: "As a local Wanganui business we are committed to giving back to our community and, along with Wanganui’s Mitre 10 MEGA Tough Kid® event, we see the Future Champions Trust as a great vehicle to support up-and-coming champions, role models and future leaders in our community."
All recipients received their cheques at the Dub.Dee.See. Youth Committee Wanganui Secondary School Sports Awards, which was held on Wednesday, 28 October at Wanganui Girls’ College hall.
Christian Conder - Captain of the 2016 New Zealand Secondary School Cross Country Team, to compete at the 2016 IFS World Schools Cross Country Championships in Hungary, April 2016.
Jane Lennox - An outstanding Junior NZ runner who has been selected as part of the Girls Open Team for the same World Championships as Christian.
Blair Osborne - Recently selected and competed for the New Zealand Under 17 Mixed Touch Team in a development tour in Australia.
Briley Zimmerman - Recently selected and competed for the Under 19 New Zealand Age Group Team for the World Duathlon Championships in Australia, where she finished sixth.
Tara Raj - Top 3 under 13 girls golfer in New Zealand, Wanganui Women's Open Champion and plays No. 2 for Manawatu-Wanganui Women's Team.
Baker-Hogan says: "It’s exciting to once again be able to support some new athletes in sports that the two-year-old Trust has not supported previously and this highlights the wide and varied sporting talent we are breeding in Wanganui. Trustees are so grateful to Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui and all our wonderful supporters, who make our regular twice-yearly grants possible.”
Hayden Gibson, owner of Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui, the Trust's naming sponsor, says: "As a local Wanganui business we are committed to giving back to our community and, along with Wanganui’s Mitre 10 MEGA Tough Kid® event, we see the Future Champions Trust as a great vehicle to support up-and-coming champions, role models and future leaders in our community."
New recipient Christian Conder says: “The generous financial contribution towards Jane and my World Cross Country campaign really takes some pressure off our families and our need to find the money, meaning we can concentrate more on our training."
As Chair of the Trust, Baker-Hogan was delighted to declare the names of seven young Wanganui athletes that have been awarded grants from the newly-named Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui Future Champions Trust.
The Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui Future Champions Trust (FCT) provides financial support for high-achieving Wanganui individuals, to assist the advancement of their international sporting careers. The Trust was launched in November 2013 and to date has granted a total of $16,500 to eleven individuals across seven codes.
Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui was approached last year to take on the naming rights, furthering the Trust’s capacity to support young local athletes in their quest towards the world stage and beyond. Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui owner Hayden Gibson has made a two-year commitment to the Trust. “It is a great fit for our business to support the Future Champions Trust, being 100% Wanganui owned and operated is all about supporting the Wanganui community and to be able to assist in achieving young sports people’s dreams and aspirations that will then inspire others to achieve excellence is a privilege. Wanganui is full of great people and great athletes, Sarah and I with our team are proud to be able to assist in getting these local people onto a world stage.”
The recent number of applications yielded eight possible recipients. Seven awardees were identified, receiving a range of figures to bolster their international competition prospects.
Recently named in Canoe Racing NZ’s Pathway to the Podium programme for a second year running, Aiden Nossiter and Toby Brooke have been awarded a second lot of funding from the Trust, advancing their much-publicised bid to get to the 2015 Junior and U23 World Sprint Championships in Lisbon, Portugal. The competition will take place in July, following a three-week training camp in Budapest, Hungary.
Jessica van Bentum, also a previous beneficiary of the trust, has proven herself worthy again with some pleasing results in her sport of Inline Speed Skating. Van Bentum is in Germany training and racing with the Arma Wheels team, under coach Kalon Dobbin, a multi-world champion himself. She will head to the World Roller Speed Skating Champs in Kaohsiung, Taiwan later this year (November).
Fellow Inline Speed Skater Rebecca Smith also benefits in the latest round. She too has been selected to skate for New Zealand at the World Champs in Taiwan. Smith is currently representing New Zealand at the European Inline Speed Skating Cup – eight races in six locations, over three months.
Finn Brown of the Wanganui City Judo Club has recently returned from the Oceania Championships in Noumea, New Caledonia. Brown gained vital international competition experience, and hopes to be part of the New Zealand Judo contingent that will travel to Japan in 2016, to train with Japanese Judo clubs there. With older brother and kayaker Max Brown also heading to Portugal (with Brooke and Nossiter) the FCT funding brings some much-needed relief for the Brown household. Mother Jenny Brown comments, "As the parents of two young men who have received funding from Future Champions Trust, we know that it is only from this kind of generosity that it makes it possible for our sons to have been able to travel and compete at this world level. The gains made at international competition level are hugely beneficial, not just to Max and Finn individually, but to the younger ones coming through in their chosen sports, because they too can aim high having seen what can be achieved. Max and Finn are extremely proud to say they come from a small town that keenly supports their sporting achievements and are honoured that Future Champions Trust has been able to assist them."
Elena Forlong and Shannon Schimanski are the first swimmers to receive FCT funding, and for a number of years are the most recent Wanganui swimmers to achieve NZ team status. They both represented New Zealand at the recent 2015 Australian Age Group Swimming Championships in April. Coach Andy McLay knows they’ve earned their place, "Elena and Shannon are role models for the rest of the Wanganui Swim squad, training 7-9 sessions a week, of 1.5 - 2 hours duration each for over 10 months of the year. Being in a NZ team and racing against Australia's best youth was great experience, and set a platform for their personal development.”
The newly-named recipients were presented at a small function last night at Cooks Gardens. The athletes and their representatives were invited to attend the function, where the Trust and it’s supporters acknowledged their achievements to date, and wished them well for their future endeavours.
Baker-Hogan is pleased that the number of recipients has grown, “This Trust is not only a valuable funding mechanism that aspiring international athletes need, but being a Trust recipient is something athletes feel is credible, and it is becoming quite special to join this small but special group of Wanganui athletes.”
The Mitre 10 MEGA Future Champions Trust is an opportunity for local people and businesses to invest in the region’s talented sporting youth, and to support the development of athletes that could potentially achieve at international level. All levels of support are appreciated and interested businesses are encouraged to contact the Trust through it’s website: www.futurechampionstrust.org or phone Philippa on 027 272 7953, or email [email protected].
The next round of funding is open now and will close on 30th September 2015. Athletes that are interested in applying to the Trust should visit the website to assess the criteria for the fund, and to access an application form. Alternatively they can visit Sport Whanganui at Maria Place extension to pick up the relevant forms.
By Karen Hughes
Dear Philippa and the Future
Champions Trust,
In 2014 you funded $1,500 towards my tour to the Under 23 World Champs in Hungary. With the funding you provided I have been able to develop myself and grow closer towards becoming a world class athlete.
It provided me with the experience of training in 2 different countries and also with different athletes than I usually train with. Most significantly, in the Czech Republic we got to train and race against the Argentinian kayak team. I really benefited from this because it gave me more competition for training but also provided me with an idea of how other countries train.
The overall experience of racing at the world champs was hugely beneficial from a life lessons point of view. We placed 13th in the world in the under 23s, which we were really happy with as a 19 year old, we were up against some really experienced racers. I gained another level and idea of how hard you can push your body.
After we got back from world champs and had a good long 2 week rest and since then I feel like have stepped up my training and commitment to another level. I am proud to say NZ sprint season started in October and finishes end of February, and I haven't missed a single session. We train 11 times a week and put our bodies through hell. I see a lot of athletes sleeping in and missing training, but I refuse to miss a single one because I want to become the best.
I just got back from an awesome weekend of racing at the 2015 NZ Sprint Kayaking Nationals and just wanted to keep you in the loop with how well it went.
Heres a list of results I achieved:
1000m
200m
Next weekend (20/21 February) I travelling over to Sydney, Australia for GP2 regatta to race in the Open age group. This will be some really tough racing but Im looking forward to the challenge. We get to race the 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist K4 and this is going to be a huge honour for me!
From Max Brown
Location: Wanganui, New Zealand, 14th June 2014
Future Champions Trust Chair and former Olympian, Philippa Baker-Hogan is delighted to announce that five recipients have been granted funds in the first round of the Future Champions Trust funding.
The purpose of the Trust is to provide financial support for high-achieving Wanganui individuals, to assist the advancement of their international sporting careers. The Future Champions Trust (FCT) was launched in November last year, and potential candidates were invited to apply to the fund earlier this year, in March.
The first application round attracted ten applications, all of high quality and ultimately making the task for the deciding panel very difficult. However five worthy applicants were identified, each receiving $1,500 to bolster their international competition prospects.
Recently named in Canoe Racing NZ’s Pathway to the Podium programme, Aiden Nossiter, Max Brown and Toby Brooke will emerge with the first of the FCT funding as each of them prepares for the 2014 Canoe Sprint Junior and U23 World Championships in Szeged, Hungary. That competition will take place in July, following a four-week training camp in the Czech Republic beforehand. All three of these kayakers have been named in the New Zealand U23 squad – an outstanding result for Wanganui.
Currently placed 1st in the Oceania U19 Championships class, Downhill Mountain biker Ben Watkins has been selected to represent New Zealand at the World UCI Downhill Championships in September. For Watkins, the World Champs will be the culmination of a European tour of mountain biking competitions in preparation for the World Champs, taking in Scotland, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France
Jessican van Bentum is the only female recipient of the grant. Selected for the NZ Junior Inline Speed Skating Team, she is currently preparing for the 2014 World Championships which will be held in Argentina later this year, followed by a training stint in Germany before returning to New Zealand.
The newly-named recipients will be presented at a small function later this week at Yoga Forme, home of the Trust’s first Gold Sponsor. Athletes and their representatives have been invited to attend the function, where the Trust and it’s supporters will acknowledge the achievements of these outstanding young people to date, and wish them well for the coming challenges ahead.
The Trust is a new opportunity for local people and businesses to invest in the region’s talented sporting youth, and to support the development of athletes that could potentially achieve at international level. Baker-Hogan would like to see more sponsors like this on board, “The Trust wants to be around long-term to assist generations of Wanganui youth onto the world stage and beyond, so we are keen to spread our message and build further supporters to do this”. All levels of support are appreciated and interested businesses are encouraged to contact the Trust through it’s website: www.futurechampionstrust.org or phone Philippa on 027 272 7953, or email [email protected]
The next round of funding will open on 1st September 2014. Athletes that are interested in applying to the Trust should visit the website to assess the criteria for the fund, and to access an application form. Alternatively they can visit Sport Wanganui at Maria Place extension to pick up the relevant forms. The closing date for the second round of applications is 31 October 2014.
For further information Contact:
Danny Jonas
Chief Executive Officer
Sport Wanganui
06 349 2310
Philippa Baker-Hogan Chairman
Future Champions Trust
027 272 7953
Email Philippa
Location: Wanganui, New Zealand, 17th February 2014
Future Champions Trust Chair and former Olympian, Philippa Baker-Hogan is delighted to announce that the first round of funding is now open to applications, for high achieving youth athletes.
The Future Champions Trust was launched in November last year at a special ceremony hosted by noted Sports Commentator and Journalist, Phil Gifford, and with double world champion and Olympic rowing medallist Rebecca Scown as Trust Ambassador. Baker-Hogan says, “The launch of this Trust was very well received, and we were delighted to have popular sports writer Phil Gifford and Olympic medallist Rebecca Scown as our special guests”.
The purpose of the Trust is to provide financial support for high-achieving Wanganui individuals, to assist the advancement of their international sporting careers.
Says Baker-Hogan, “Trustees are now delighted to open the first round of funding applications, with particular focus on assisting some of our highest achieving youth to international competitions over the winter months, often in the Northern Hemisphere”.
The Trust is a new opportunity for local people and businesses to invest in the region’s talented sporting youth, and to support the development of athletes that could potentially achieve at international level.
Baker-Hogan comments “The Trust has had some wonderful support from supporters including in-kind ‘Gold’ sponsors Inferno Design, H & A Print, Display Associates and Sport Wanganui, and has just had its first paid Gold sponsor from Russell and Melissa Eades. However, the Trust wants to be around long-term to support generations of Wanganui youth onto the world stage and beyond, so we are keen to spread our message and build further supporters to do this”.
“We are happy to come along to any business, service club or home to inform on the aim and work of the Trust, and to discuss how we can help each other to help our youth.”
Businesses can sign up as Gold, Silver or Bronze supporters, or just make a donation.
Phillippa Baker-Hogan encourages interested businesses to contact the Trust through it’s website: www.futurechampionstrust.org or phone Philippa on 027 272 7953, or email [email protected].
Meanwhile aspiring athletes that are interested in applying to the Trust should visit the website to assess the criteria for the fund, and to access an application form. Alternatively they can visit Sport Wanganui at Maria Place extension to pick up the relevant forms. The closing date for applications is 30 April 2014.
