Background: High Performance Sport Strategy

New Zealanders often describe their country as a sporting nation. For many New Zealanders, success in high performance sport is a cornerstone of our national pride and identity.

Our sporting heroes are the role models who encourage our young people to participate in sport. Sporting success is an important part of our international brand and, above all, an uncompromising commitment to excellence and success is hugely beneficial to our national psyche and culture.

But while our results on the international stage have been reasonably good, the fact is they are not outstanding. We can, and should, do better. The vision of the Government is to take high performance sport to the next level, and achieve consistently excellent performances (ref Appendix).

Achieving outstanding results in international sporting competition is not simply a question of chance. The difference between world-class and world-beating athletes is often measured in differences of one or two per cent. At the last Olympics New Zealand won a total of nine medals - yet nine further New Zealand athletes finished fourth or fifth. If we can advance our infrastructure and support systems to the next level we are setting the foundations for increasing the number of podium finishes our athletes achieve.

The Government has today announced a substantial boost to high performance sport in New Zealand:

• The largest, most significant funding injection into high performance sport in New Zealand, amounting to $10 million in 2010/11, $15 million in 2011/12, and $20 million annually after that. By the 2012/13 year, total funding for high performance sport will be over $60 million, a 50 per cent increase to current funding.
• The establishment of a new High Performance Institute as a separate entity within SPARC, designed to create a more focused, energetic and better resourced high performance vehicle with its own distinct identity, culture and operating partnerships.
• A $40 million expansion of the Millennium Institute (into which the Government will invest $15 million), which will become the National Training Centre for the High Performance Institute, and plans for a further $40 million development of a series of satellite high performance centres around the country, to which the Government will make key cornerstone contributions;
• A significant boost to supporting New Zealand's athletes with direct funding, by retaining and recruiting top coaches, providing world-class sports science and medicine services through the two Academies of Sport, and through innovation and technology to give our athletes a competitive advantage on the world stage.

This strategy, which will see significant new cornerstone funding poured into a world-class network of facilities, draws from international experience. In particular, it draws on the highly successful Australian Institute of Sport model which has propelled that country to greater international achievement.

A New Model For High Performance Sport

The High Performance Institute

A new subsidiary of the SPARC board will be established to oversee the High Performance Institute. It will be a more focused and better resourced high performance vehicle with a distinct identity, culture and operating partnerships. The high performance role has been retained within SPARC in order to preserve a seamless transition from initial participation in sport through to high performance sport.

The new High Performance Board at SPARC will be a cornerstone investor in an enhanced network of high performance sports infrastructure and will also be the major funder of their operations through the existing New Zealand Academies of Sport. Each element of the high performance strategy is reliant on funding partnerships with local authorities, trusts, philanthropic individuals and corporates which share the Government's vision of supporting high performance success. The High Performance Board will be responsible for creating and managing key partnerships which will enable a significant enhancement in sporting infrastructure and athlete support to be delivered.

The new Board will contain the Chair of SPARC and up to three additional SPARC directors. They will be joined by two independent directors, NZX Chief Executive and former Olympic swimmer, Mark Weldon, and Olympic Triathlon Gold medallist, Hamish Carter.

Infrastructure

The country's crucial high performance sport infrastructure will be brought together and enhanced to form a network of world-class sporting facilities. There is substantial agreement as to the shape of the high performance infrastructure required, and the sporting codes that warrant increased investment. Over the last 7 Olympics New Zealand has won a total of 14 medals in sailing, 10 in rowing, 7 in canoe and 4 in cycling. Investment to take the infrastructure of these codes to the next level is clearly a priority.

Regional talent identification and development centres (Image: SPARC)

The Millennium Institute of Sport and Health (Millennium Institute) - National Training Centre

A $40 million expansion at the Millennium Institute, in partnership with AUT, will pave the way for it to be the national training centre of the new High Performance Institute. Home of the Northern Academy of Sport, the Millennium Institute currently services many of our elite athletes and is the obvious centre to establish New Zealand's cutting-edge hothouse high performance environment. Redevelopment will provide for high performance facilities such as a dedicated high performance strength, conditioning and recovery centre which will be a base for world class coaching and specialist support services, a high performance sport science centre, expanded sports medicine facilities, capacity for sports research and technology development and additional lodge accommodation for team training camps.

Queen Elizabeth II, Christchurch - South Island hub

The QEII facility in Christchurch is currently the centre of excellence for the South Island's elite athletes. It now operates in close harmony with the Millennium Institute through the strong partnership established between the Northern and Southern Academies. The next stage of development will include an upgrade of the sports science and sports medicine facilities, a specialist high performance training hall, improved technology for real-time data capture and feedback for athletes, new artificial all-weather surface and upgraded athlete accommodation.

National Ocean Water Sports Centre - Takapuna

Plans are currently underway for a sailing centre of excellence on the North Shore, which will bring together Yachting NZ's programme into a single hub. Details of this significant high performance infrastructure development will be announced soon.

Lake Karapiro

Rowing: The recently-built high performance facility at Karapiro gives our best rowers access to world-class gymnasium facilities, sports medicine and sports science expertise all at the one location. The first priority for the high performance strategy was to fully fund the remaining $1.8 million debt on the facility through a direct $1 million Government grant, a $300,000 contribution from SPARC and a $500,000 contribution from Mighty River Power ahead of the Rowing World Championships, which will be held at LakeKarapiro in October 2010.

Canoe Racing: Providing Canoe Racing New Zealand with a high performance centre is a priority after the 2012 Olympic Games. Details will be announced in due course.

Cycling High Performance Centre

To build on the success of BikeNZ's high performance programme, a hub of cycling excellence is required which provides for all cycling disciplines (road, track, BMX, mountain bike). A number of regional centres have lodged an interest and have already secured in-principle commitments from local sources. It is intended for SPARC to run an Expressions of Interest process to manage applications.

An Improved System of Delivering Enhanced High Performance Support Services

Outstanding achievement is a consequence of excellent preparation. To develop consistent success, the support our athletes receive needs to be enhanced in several key areas - world-leading coaching, sports science, sports medicine, biomechanics, innovative technological development and access to high-level competition abroad. Best international practice involves the establishment of a high performance culture in a hothouse environment in which top athletes, coaches, sports scientists and other specialists can feed off each others' achievements.

Significant new funding will see a boost to the support our athletes, coaches and other specialists receive, totalling $3 million in 2010/11, $10 million in 2011/12, $15.5 million in 2012 - 13 and $20 million a year from 2013. Final allocations will be confirmed by the new High Performance Board subject to negotiations with partners and firm costings on some infrastructure projects.

The Current System

Each year, our top athletes have to pitch their case to multiple agencies to get funding and support. Often this support is insufficient or inflexible and ill-targeted to the type of campaign they need to run.

In order to address the frustration expressed by many athletes about this system, steps have already been taken to require a much tighter partnership between SPARC, the National Sports Organisations (NSOs) and the Academies to ensure something more akin to a "one-stop-shop" for high performance athletes. The new High Performance Board will be charged with continuing this work to ensure athletes who are genuine medal prospects are able to access world-class services easily and with certainty. The Board will be committed to ensuring we deliver to each of our top athletes exactly what they require to win on the world stage.

Direct Funding For Top Athletes

There are significant financial costs associated with becoming an elite athlete, in terms of training time, travel costs and alternative career opportunity costs. Of a total Performance Enhancement Grants pool of $5 million, athletes receive between $15,000 to $60,000 per year, depending on their performance in the previous year. Over 50 per cent of the grants are at the lower end of the scale, with nine athletes receiving the full $60,000 on the basis of first-place achievements.

Current Government funding through Performance Enhancement Grants (PEGs) inadequately supports athletes on their way up, and doesn't provide financial security from one year to the next. By increasing the amount of direct funding available for our high performance athletes, we will be able to lift the level of support athletes get and expand the number of people who get it, including providing athletes who are genuine medal prospects with earlier and more substantial support.

World Class Coaching

Investment in the current system is through NSOs ($5.5 million) and through scholarships for coach development ($2 million). However, our world class experts are often stretched too thin, and we need to build depth of expertise in critical coaching positions. In addition, top personnel who are critical to the success of our medal-winning programmes are often sought after by other countries, and investment is needed to retain them.

Taking our coaching support to the next level is fundamental to the success of our top athletes. This means retaining the world-class coaches we do have, and attracting coaches who are experienced at winning on the world stage. Enhanced investment in attracting and retaining world-class experts will ensure our athletes will remain competitive internationally.

Support Services Provided By NZ Academy Of Sport

The success of our nation's best athletes relies on them having access to specialist support to help them reach their world-class potential. Given the superior level of specialist support provided to many athletes internationally, improving the services available to New Zealand athletes is critical if they are to remain competitive.

The Government currently invests $6.2 million in the NZ Academy of Sport to provide our top athletes with a wide range of support; however, with more athletes accessing PEGs funding and more capacity at the Northern and Southern Academies through significant redevelopment, it is a priority to take athlete servicing to the next level.

Increased investment through the Northern and Southern Academies (housed at the Millennium Institute and QEII) will enable our top athletes to access more medal-class service staff, sports science and medicine services, including performance and technique analysis, physiology, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, physiotherapy and nutrition.

Cutting Edge Sports Science And Technology

While some success has been achieved through limited Government investment to date - Sarah Ulmer's new bike in 2003/4 is believed to be an important factor in her Olympic and World Championship success - there has largely been a 'number-8 wire' approach to sports technology and innovation, without proper project management, intellectual property protection and commercialisation.

To create a competitive advantage for our athletes we will tap into New Zealand's strong reputation for technological innovation in the sporting arena. Planning is underway (and funding secured in partnership with Sir Stephen Tindall) for an initiative which will pioneer a wide range of research and technology developments including cutting-edge improvements to cycling and rowing efficiency to achieve increased power and smoothness, and more sophisticated athlete monitoring through iPhone applications for remote coaching. This is an area with significant potential for partnerships between the Government and industry leaders in technology and innovation.

Access To High Level Competition Abroad

Our athletes need to be as connected as possible to world excellence while retaining their ties to New Zealand. To do so requires a strong boost in funding for athletes to attend international events and be properly resourced in their preparations, including in those disciplines requiring athletes to be exposed to different conditions for longer periods of time.

The objective is to develop a network of relationships through which, by making appropriate funding available, our athletes are able to access the required level of international conditioning and competition. It may also include working with private sector partners to create a range of scholarships at international institutions, so our top athletes stay linked to New Zealand while training and studying offshore.

Appendix: How Does New Zealand Currently Stack Up?

Our results in international sporting competition could be described as good, rather than outstanding. While sports like rugby have delivered considerable success and significant international profile for New Zealand, we have not yet achieved consistent sporting success on the world stage. Across the range of Olympic sports, relative to our small population, we have, most of the time, been in the top ten. We are ambitious that, through a significant lift in the high performance system, New Zealand can consistently stay in the top three.

The following chart provides the weighted per-capita medal performance of New Zealand against other nations from 1976 to 2008: