Applications submitted to the Kauri Club from Northland Regional Sports Organisations for grants for talented young Northland sportspeople, saw nine athletes from six sports codes receive funding.

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. This funding mainly assists the athletes to cover some of the many expenses incurred in travelling to events outside the region. Several of the athletes in this round have been selected to represent New Zealand in their particular sport and will be attending tournaments overseas.

The Kauri Club also allocated a grant of $500 to both the ASB Northland Secondary Schools Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year winners Scott Gregory and Caitlin Reed, who were announced at the ASB Northland Secondary Schools Sports Awards on Thursday 27 October. A further $1,000 has been set aside for the Garry Frew Memorial Junior Sportsperson of the Year which will be awarded at the Konica Minolta CSG Northland Sports Awards on Friday 2 December.

These new grants will now make a total of $202,950 being allocated to talented Northland Sportspeople since the Kauri Club was formed in 2000 from funding received from the family of the late Garry Frew and the Brian Maunsell Memorial Trust fund.

Northland Sports Talent Development Panel member Colleen Atchison says “it is great to follow the progress of the Kauri Club recipients and see our Northland athletes progress on and succeed at high levels such as world championships and the Olympics.”

October 2016 Kauri Club Recipients:

Brennan Massey – Powerchair Football (Kaipara)
Cameron Sear – Karate (Whangarei)
Grace Pevats – Surfing (Whangarei)
Jayden Hotsfall – Equestrian (Kerikeri)
Mia Gordon – Swimming (Whangarei)
Michelle Crawford – Gymsports (Whangarei)
Mihi Shepherd – Equestrian (Whangarei)
Pippa Benton – Gymsports (Whangarei)
Teuarangi Tana – Karate (Paihia)

The next round of Kauri Club grants will be made in April 2017 where the Northland Sports Talent Development Panel will also assess applications for the 2017 intake of the Educare Northland Sports Talent Hub.