Sports Foundation tops SIM in grants

Press, 24 September 1988, Page 41

Sports Foundation tops SIM in grants

By

JANE HUNT

Wellington A steady increase in funding has resulted in the Sports Foundation topping the $1 million mark in grants for the first time in its 10-year existence. The executive board chairman, Graham Davy, said 1987-88 had been a particularly good year and from the $600,000 issued in grants two years ago, the foundation had significantly improved this to top $1 million in the last year. “We are very, very pleased with the way the funding has gone and the aim for 1988-89 is to distribute in excess of $l.B million,” he said. To mark the end of the first 10 years, the foundation’s board of governors has decided to introduce awards for the top 10 international sports performances by New Zealanders during the last year. The special awards, which will be presented at the Sports Foundation victory dinner in Auckland in October, will become an annual event to recognise notable sporting achievements during the year, the executive director, Keith Hancox, said. Mr Davy said a big adver-

tising and public relations programme over the last year had been successful, creating a large interest from the commercial sector especially producing an increase of incoming funds. “We’ve been able to achieve a far wider range of funding in the last year simply because we’ve had more money,” Mr Davy said. He stressed the importance of not relaxing and resting on laurels, saying gains achieved were just as easily lost and the foundation’s long-term aim was to keep improving funding. The appointment of eight fellows of the foundation was finalised during the year and between them the companies would provide $1 million to sport over the next three years. “This is an excellent result and we can build on it by encouraging others to provide reasonable sums,” Mr Davy said. “As more funds become available we are able to spread them wider within particular areas.” The board of governors has selected the following as the top 10 performances by New Zealanders in 1987-88:

® The Admiral’s Cup yachting team world off-shore championship in 1987. ® Steven Alker (winner of the world individual schoolboys’ golf championship). ® All Blacks (test series wins over Australia and Wales). ® Erin Baker (women’s world sprint and long distance triathlon champion 1987 and winner of Hawaiian Ironman in record time). ® Peter Bellis/Rowan Brassey (1988 winners of world pairs bowls championships). © Susan Devoy (1987 world women’s squash champion and British Open champion). ® Paul MacDonald (winner two gold medals at 1984 Olympic Games, two golds and silver medal 1987 world championships). e New Zealand netball team (world netball champions 1987 and series victory over Trinidad and Tobago in 1988 Milo series). © Philip Rush (three world records achieved in threeway crossing of the English Channel). ® Richard Wells (winner of world sprint and long distance triathlon championships in 1987).