From the Chief Executive
Kia ora tātou,
As 2025 rapidly moves towards its end, the excellent results for Kiwi athletes on the world stage have continued.
A few of the most notable recent results have come from the Para Cycling team (13 world championship medals), Track Cycling team (5 world championship medals), Tim Price (Equestrian 5 Star winner in Pau), Triathlon (more T100 success for Hayden Wilde), Emma Twigg (pictured – a Coastal Rowing world championship at 38!) and the Kiwis (Rugby League Pacific Champions). I was fortunate to attend the Pacific Championship rugby League match at Eden Park, what a truly memorable experience! Congratulations to the Kiwis on their ultimate victory.
That ongoing success is critical when it comes to engaging more New Zealanders in high performance sport and inspiring communities – a key outcome for all of us. To that end there have also been a couple of notable broadcast announcements in recent weeks.
Athletics New Zealand and TVNZ have announced a broadcast partnership that will see the five top meets from New Zealand’s 2026 Summer Circuit steamed live and free for Kiwi sports fans. The NZOC also announced that Sky has secured broadcast rights for the Olympic Games through until Brisbane 2032, noting that Sky’s recent purchase of Three and Three Now will make it easier for more Kiwis to access free to air coverage of key moments from the Games.
The increased free to air sport within these announcements is particularly pleasing and we’ll see that become reality from the start of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games which get underway on 6 February. I can’t wait for the Games to start to see our Kiwi athletes shine, while also getting my fill of all those, unusual to us sports, that we only get an opportunity to see once every four years.
One of the Snow Sports NZ star athletes looking to taste success at Milano Cortina is world champion freestyle skier Luca Harrington and we talk to his support team about his build up in this HPSNZ Update.
We also hear from some Kiwi women coaches who are buzzing about their recent experience joining their Australian counterparts at the AIS Aspire programme in Canberra. We feature the last in our Head of Performance Psychology Dr John Sullivan’s 10-part series on athlete mental health.
And looking forward to Glasgow 2026, Bowls is a sport with high hopes for the Commonwealth Games – they picked up three medals at this month’s World Cup in Kuala Lumpur and Selena Goddard secured the world #1 women’s singles ranking. We check in on Bowls NZ’s preparations for Glasgow.
Ngā mihi
Raelene
Milano Cortina 2026 – Helping Luca Harrington continue stellar form
Luca Harrington during Mens Ski Slopestyle Final at 2025 X Games Aspen at Buttermilk in Aspen, CO. ©Trevor Brown, Jr./X Games
It has been a sensational 2024/25 season for freeskier and Wānaka local, Luca Harrington ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.
The results, accolades and awards he received were beyond impressive – 2025 Freeski Big Air World Champion, X Games gold and silver in Slopestyle and Big Air at his debut event and five World Cup podiums including two firsts, two seconds and one third place.
His consistent success on the Big Air World Cup Tour meant Luca became the first Kiwi to win the FIS Freeski Big Air Crystal Globe and his achievements were recognised in New Zealand when he was crowned both 2025 Freeskier of the Year and overall Snow Sports Athlete of the Year at the 2025 Snow Sports NZ Awards.
As he heads towards another northern hemisphere season and his first Olympic Winter Games, a number of Luca’s tight team share the journey they have been on with him and the focus for the next two months.
Glasgow 2026 – Bowls NZ’s high performance programme targets Commonwealth Games
Selina Goddard
With the 2026 Commonwealth Games a key focus for Bowls NZ’s high performance programme, we spoke with High Performance Manager Julie Blake and Head Coach Mike Kernaghan to check in on the sport’s Glasgow campaign.
Julie is delighted the sport’s long standing involvement at a Commonwealth Games will continue in Glasgow.
Women in HP Sport connects New Zealand aspiring HP coaches with Aussie counterparts
Partnering with another country for the first time, a group of 10 aspiring New Zealand women high performance coaches joined their Australian counterparts for ASPIRE, an initiative focused on exploring and building skillsets as individuals and as coaches.
The women from 10 New Zealand sports – Cycling, Rowing, Diving, Snow Sports, Athletics, Tennis, Touch, Golf, Rugby League and Netball – joined 38 Australian women coaches in the three day programme held at the AIS in Canberra.
HPSNZ Women in High Performance Sport (WiHPS) lead, Helene Wilson, led the New Zealand group and was heavily involved in the co-design and facilitation of what was the launch of a wider Women in Coaching project across the Sport NZ Group.
Balanced Female Athlete Health – The positive performance impact of a healthy menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle and its hormones can have a very positive health, wellbeing and performance impact for athletes.
HPSNZ Head of Performance Physiology Caroline MacManus says the menstrual cycle can be seen as a performance inhibitor but, in fact, a healthy cycle will have a positive wellbeing and performance impact.
“The key for athletes is to understand what a healthy menstrual cycle is for them because what you feel and experience in relation to your menstrual cycle can be very different for different women,” Caroline says.
Young athletes and mental health: Building resilience early on
Credit: Cherrypoint MC MCCS
By Dr John Sullivan, HPSNZ Head of Performance Psychology
In the final column in our mental health and performance series, John explores the unique mental health challenges that young athletes face and provides advice for parents, coaches and support networks to help them thrive. A link to further resources is provided at the end of the column.
Nominations open for 63rd ISPS HANDA Halberg Awards
Photo credit: Simon Stacpoole / www.photosport.nz
Kiwi sport is full of passion, determination, and inspiring moments – and it’s time to celebrate them.
The 63rd ISPS Handa Halberg Awards recognise outstanding achievements that have inspired New Zealand over the past year.
Nominations are open for achievements between 1 Dec 2024 – 30 Nov 2025.
Entries close at 8pm, 1 Dec 2025.
Prime Minister’s Scholarships reminder
Applications for the 2026 Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarships are currently open and close on 30 November.
New Athlete Guidelines for 2025-2028 have been developed and are available on the HPSNZ website, along with the refreshed portal for application.