Athletes Make The Most Of Opportunities

Winter Programme Supported Athletes Make The Most Of Opportunities

The countdown has begun for Winter Olympic hopefuls backed by the NZ Academy of Sport Winter Programme.

Nine of the NZ snowboard, skier cross, skeleton and skating athletes named in the 16-strong NZ Winter Olympics team 2010 are supported under the South Island-based Winter Programme.

The Winter Performance Programme co-ordinates and provides coaching, sports science, medical and performance support to the elite winter athletes capable of world-class success. Athletes are freed to focus on their own development, with access to services such as performance planning, skill development and analysis, physiotherapy and performance psychology arranged for them.

New Zealand Winter Sports Performance Director Ashley Light is thrilled at their selection, and at the calibre of athletes poised to compete at Vancouver, Canada from 12- 28 February 2010.

“We’ve put a comprehensive programme of support together for these athletes over the last four years, and they have been making the most of their opportunities. We’re confident that will pay off over the coming weeks,” he said.

The athletes are currently in the Northern Hemisphere, but will be entering the Olympic Village over the next week in preparation for their competition.

The Programme, funded by SPARC, the Lion and Caversham Foundations, provides a level of co-ordination not seen by elite winter athletes in New Zealand before. Its approach is leading edge and innovative by world standards.

Mr Light says New Zealand’s winter sports have never been in a better position. “Already many of our athletes have achieved considerable international podium success in northern hemisphere competition over the last two years.”

The athletes supported under the Winter Performance Programme are:

Tionette Stoddard (Dunedin) / Skeleton

Ben Sandford (Rotorua) / Skeleton

Iain Roberts (Edinburgh) / Skeleton

Shane Dobbin (Palmerston North) / Speed Skating

Michelle Greig (Queenstown) / Skier Cross

Juliane Bray (Wanaka) / Snowboard

James Hamilton (Albany) / Snowboard

Rebecca Sinclair (Wanaka) / Snowboard

Mitch Brown (Wanaka) / Snowboard

ENDS

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