From left: Grayson Masefield (Music); Representative for Amalia Hall (Music, Absent); Adrienne Anderson (Education); Yvette Perrott (IT, Innovation & Science); Melissa Ingram (Overall Winner & Sport); Daniel Playne (IT, Innovation & Science); Cameron Calkoen (Service to the Community). Also absent was Anna-Louise Dillon Herzog (Arts).
Melissa received $10,000 for her Sport Award and $20,000 for her Supreme Award. A total of $30,000
Melissa (pictured above with the Sir Peter Blake Trophy which she receives for 12 months as the overall AIMES Award Winner) is a well-known New Zealand swimmer and long-standing member of the North Shore Swimming Club. A previous student of Epsom Girls’ Grammar School, Melissa has almost completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Auckland.
She was the North Harbour Sportswoman of the Year in 2008, a member of the North Harbour Team of the Year 2006 and the Auckland University Sportsperson of the Year 2007. She has been a recipient of the University of Auckland Blues Award on four occasions and was long-listed for the Halberg Awards last year.
A backstroke swimmer, Melissa has, since the age of 10, trained and competed with the North Shore Swim Club and has an impressive list of achievements. At 16 she qualified for the 2002 Commonwealth Games where she broke the National age group record in the 200m, 100m and 50m backstroke events. In 2003 she won the Youth Olympic Games in the 200m backstroke and in 2004 won a bronze medal at the World Short Course Championships and a silver medal at the World Cup in the same event. In 2005 she was part of the 4 x 200m freestyle relay team which qualified for the final at the World Championships and went on to win silver at the World University Games, breaking the national open record. In 2006 she won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in the 4x200m freestyle relay and also finished sixth in the 200m backstroke and 9th in the 100m backstroke. Melissa was a semi-finalist at the 2007 World Championships in the 200m backstroke. In June of that year she also won the 200m backstroke in race record time at the highly prestigious Janet Evans Meet in Los Angeles where she also finished 3rd in the 100m backstroke. In August 2007 she was the only New Zealander to win a medal in any sport at the World University Games where she won silver in the 200m backstroke.
Melissa was the first New Zealand woman to swim under two minutes 10 seconds in the 200m backstroke, breaking the 18-year-old national record set by Anna Simcic by more than a second, and ranking her as the fifth fastest in the world. A few weeks later she competed at the World Short Course Championships and finished fourth in the 200m backstroke, smashing her own national record by two seconds. She also beat her personal best times in the 50m, 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle. In June she competed at the Oceania Championships where she won the 200m backstroke by more than five seconds and broke the Champs record by three seconds. At the Olympics Melissa finished 20th in the 100m backstroke and sixth in the semi-final for the 200m backstroke. In 2008 Melissa qualified for her first Olympic games in both the 100m and 200m backstroke, finishing eleventh in the 200m backstroke, narrowly missing the final by half a second.
Her future aspirations include winning the 200m backstroke at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2011 World Championships and the 2012 Olympic Games.
Anna-Louise, who is currently living in New York, was represented at the AIMES Awards by her mother. The award was presented by Murray Smith of sponsor ASB (left). Also pictured is North Harbour Club President Peter Wall and the Chairman of the AIMES Awards judging panel Simon Lamb.
Daniel Playne was presented with his award by Andrea Davies of sponsor Massey University (left). Also pictured is North Harbour Club President Peter Wall and the Chairman of the AIMES Awards judging panel Simon Lamb.
Daniel was home-schooled from 1993-2002. During this time he sat the University of New South Wales Young Australian Awards and consistently achieved distinction or high distinction from 1998-2001, putting him in the 90th plus percentile for English, Mathematics, Science, Computing and Writing. In 2002-2003 he sat his bursary by the Correspondence School achieving an A pass with 338 points.
Daniel has been a student at Massey University since 2004, graduating with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in 2008. July 2009 marked the end of his first year of PhD studies during which he researched and produced many articles, including a series of three about using graphics cards for general computing, co-written with colleagues Professor Ken Hawick and Arno Leist. These particular articles are among the first to be published in this area of research. A substantial part of this work was developed on computer hardware purchased with funds received from last year’s AIMES Awards, where Daniel also won the IT, Innovation & Science category.
In addition the same three researchers submitted three papers to the 2009 World Congress in Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Applied Computing and Daniel traveled to Las Vegas to present the research recently. This is the same conference that Daniel submitted work to in 2008 and, in January, was invited to create an extended version of this paper for a special edition of the “International Journal of Computer Aided Engineering and Technology”.
In 2008, Daniel was awarded the Massey University Vice Chancellors Doctoral Scholarship and also a Tertiary Education Commission Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship (awarded to the top 10% of doctoral students from universities around New Zealand).
Over the past year he has presented on several occasions at Massey University, was Master of Ceremonies for the International Workshop on Hybrid and Adaptive System for Real time Robotic Vision and Control and addressed the university’s new intake at the official welcome attended by more than 800 people.
As well as tutoring for Massey University, Daniel has been working with two companies in industry – BOS Electrical and Temperzone.
Apart from his academic pursuits, Daniel is actively involved in drama, and is a youth leader and mentor at Windsor Park Baptist Church. He also pursues skiing, hiking, kayaking and canyoning.
Yvette Perrott was presented with her award by Andrea Davies of sponsor Massey University (left). Also pictured is North Harbour Club President Peter Wall and the Chairman of the AIMES Awards judging panel Simon Lamb.
Yvette Perrott, a former Dux of Westlake Girls’ High School, has pursued a career searching for extra solar planets using a technique that uses the gravitational fields of stars as lenses. This requires the alignment of two stars, a nearer and more distant star. The project uses the largest telescope in New Zealand at the Mt John Observatory in Canterbury.
Yvette has developed original computer programmes in computational languages and applied these to various alignments including a planet orbiting a brown dwarf star, the first ever found.
Yvette completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science conjoint degree this year, leading her to continue with further post-graduate study as she aspires to a PhD, and is currently working on microlensing for her Honours dissertation.
She has recently won a very prestigious “Rutherford” scholaship to study for her PhD in astronomy at the Cavendish laboratory at Cambridge University, beginning Sept 2010. The scholarship was awarded to Yvette by the Royal Society of NZ. Newton and Rutherford and several other world renowned scientists worked at the Cavendish in days gone by, so she will be following the best possible footsteps.
Last year she was awarded a Hayes Knight Emerging Talent Award within the North Harbour Club AIMES Awards. With this, she attended the opening conference of the International Year of Astronomy as a youth representative for New Zealand in 2009 and the Microlensing Conference, both events were held in Paris. At this latter conference she presented her work on the two planet microlensing event MB07379 in front of approximately 50 people from the micolensing community from around the world.
She is a member of the organising committee for the 14th Gravitational Microlensing Workshop which is planned to take place in Auckland in January 2010.
In addition to her outstanding scholastic achievements, Yvette is active in sport. She competes nationally and internationally in Taekwon-Do, winning silver in the national competition in 2007, and gold in the Oceania competition in 2008.
Grayson was presented with his award by Gerard van Tilborg of sponsor EasyFactors International (left). Also pictured is North Harbour Club President Peter Wall and the Chairman of the AIMES Awards judging panel Simon Lamb (right).
Grayson is a past pupil of Rangitoto College, leaving in 2005. In 2006, while studying business and music at the University of Auckland, he was given the opportunity to receive specialist music lessons in France under the tutelage of Professor Frederic Deschamps, one of the best Piano Accordion teachers in the world.
His international level program covers both classical and virtuoso entertainment competition categories and he competes against the best players in the world. In 2008 he was placed first in the prestigious Confederation Mondiale De’L’Accordian Trophee Mondiale Senior Variete competition, his first major international title, and he was 7th in the World Accordion Championships Open Class which is the toughest competition worldwide.
Grayson started playing the Piano Accordion at the age of five and has since passed most available grades, both practical and theory. He started competing in 2001/2002 and quickly won the New Zealand Open Entertainment Championship, shortly afterwards he became the New Zealand Open Piano Accordion Champion.
Achievements in 2009 include first place in the Primus Ikaalinen International Competition, Finland; second place in the Klingenthal Category 6 Virtuosos Entertainment; and wins at New Zealand Solo Open Competition and the Australian International Pacific Championship.
Most recently he achieved something that has never been done before by winning the two top sections, the World Classic and the International Virtuosos categories, of the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships in the same year – no New Zealander has ever been in the top three of either competition. This competition was held right here at the Bruce Mason Centre in August.
Grayson regularly attends International Master Classes for elite players and performs concerts throughout the world. His travels include competitions and appearances in Serbia, Italy, Norway, England, Spain, Finland, Germany, Bosnia, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. He has received invitations to perform in American, Portugal and Australia; and he plans to travel back to Europe to compete in the Confederation Mondiale De’L’Accordeon World competitions in Portugal.
After completing his study in France, Grayson plans to complete New Zealand Accordion Association performance diplomas, teacher’s diploma, LTCL and FTCL from Trinity College, which would enable him to return to the North Shore and teach the methods he has learnt overseas.
Amalia is currently studying at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Her award was accepted by her boyfriend on her behalf.
Amalia Hall was a student at Rangitoto College until 2005 when she left to take up a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Auckland which she completed in two and a half years.
Amalia has recently taken up a place at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, studying with 32 of the highest calibre violin students from across the globe.
She has been the winner of 13 prominent New Zealand competitions, including seven national titles, and has performed in 50 concerto performances after her debut with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at the age of nine years.
Amalia won first prize at the Auckland University Concerto Competition in 2008, the Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand National Young Performer of the Year on 2007 and the National Concerto Competition in 2006. She was the laureate of the 2005 Kloster Schontal International Concerto Competition in 2006 and also won a special prize for the Best Interpretation of Bach. In 2004, Amalia was a laureate in the International Competition for Young Musicians in Kurashiki, Japan.
Her study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia gives her access to outstanding facilities and teachers, including Pamela Frank and Joseph Silverstein, and the opportunity to develop a reputation as a world class concert violinist.
In the long-term, Amalia plans to return to New Zealand and help foster and mentor young musicians.
Adrienne was presented with her award by Peter Clague (Executive Principal) of sponsor Kristin School (left). Also pictured is North Harbour Club President Peter Wall and the Chairman of the AIMES Awards judging panel Simon Lamb (right).
Adrienne attended Westlake Girls’ High School, leaving in 2002 after gaining an A Bursary. She went on to complete a BA/LLB (Hons) at the University of Auckland and, during this time, was the recipient of the following scholarships and prizes for being top in her year: the New Zealand Law Review Prize 2005, the FA de la Mare Memorial Prize 2006, and the Senior Scholarship in Law 2007. She was also selected to represent New Zealand at the 2007 World Model UN in Geneva, and attended university in Salamanca, Spain for a summer semester. In 2008, she was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the New Zealand High Court.
This year, Adrienne entered a prestigious Human Rights Essay Award competition run by the Washington College of Law Academy of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. This is a worldwide competition and Adrienne won an Honourable Mention. Publication of her recent paper, “On dignity and whether the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Remains a place of Refuge after 60 years”, is forthcoming.
Adrienne would like to attend American University next year and complete a Masters in Law (LLM), specialising in International Human Rights Law and International Refugee Law.
It is her goal to be a leading academic and practitioner on Human Rights and for the past two years has been a Legal Associate at the Refugee Status Appeals Authority. In this role Adrienne has had the responsibility to research and advise on points of refugee law and to find country information to aid judges in their task of assessing the risk of persecution faced by a particular claimant in their country of origin.
Adrienne clearly has a passion for community work and is currently a drop-in volunteer at the Auckland City Mission once a fortnight and is in training to provide advice at the Citizens Advice Bureau. While at University, she was a member of the Equal Justice Project, a pro bono university organisation. She has also taken a number of courses at night school to further her knowledge of Islam and certain Muslim countries to better understand other cultures and peoples. To this end, she has also become fluent in Spanish and French.
Cameron was presented with his award by North Shore City Mayor Andrew Williams (left). Also pictured is North Harbour Club President Peter Wall and the Chairman of the AIMES Awards judging panel Simon Lamb (right).
Cameron is well-known in the North Harbour community for his contribution to sport and as a role model for those with disabilities. He was a previous AIMES winner in the Service category in 2006.
A past student of Rangitoto and Northcote Colleges, Cameron has won recognition as a highly-sought after speaker and an advocate for athletics. He has been involved in many community projects both in New Zealand and overseas.
Earlier this year he was selected as one of twelve New Zealanders to support the Japanese cabinet office in the development of not-for-profit organisations and services to people with disabilities. He is the President of the Pupuke Rotaract, the only North Shore Rotaract, and has been active in encouraging other younger members of the community to get involved. In addition, he was one of six members of Rotaract to return to Vanuatu to provide 1500 books for a school library and to run a week-long holiday programme.
Cameron is a member of the steering group for writing the North Shore Disability Strategy and assisted in the launch of this key document in March this year. He also presented it at a Super City hearing to encourage embracing of the strategy within the supercity structure of the future. In addition, he is assisting Auckland City Council in the development of their ‘Stepping Up’ Leadership Programme, the first leadership programme developed specifically for the disability community and, in July, he was a keynote speaker at the Prime Minister’s Social Hero Awards which recognise corporate organisations that demonstrate a social responsibility.
As a recipient of a Vodafone Foundation World of Difference Scholarship, Cameron has been able to further develop the Carabiner Mentoring Programme which he initiated. Outside of Carabiner, he, mentors a 15-year-old boy from Mount Roskill Grammar School whose ambition it is to follow in Cameron’s footsteps and represent New Zealand at the Paralympics.
He works full time as an ambassador for the YES Disability Resource Centre, promoting the centre and seeking funding for future sustainability. He compliments this role with the extraordinary range of activities he carries out in his own time, driven by his passion to make a difference for others.
Matthew Bellingham of sponsor Hayes Knight (left) and North Harbour Club AIMES Awards Judging Chairman Simon Lamb (right) presented AIMES Emerging Talent Awards to six winners at the Cocktail Party held at Spencer on Byron Hotel. Sophie Corbridge, Chris Rahardja and Jenna Gallie (pictured) were on hand to receive their awards. Three winners (Jason Bae, Ellen Deverall and Arkesh Patel) were overseas and family members were on hand to accept their awards on their behalf.
Each Emerging Talent Award Winner received $4,000, with the exception of Jason Bae, who received $2,000 and a recording session sponsored by BigFM102.6
The Hayes Knight North Harbour Club Emerging Talent Awards are presented each year at a special cocktail function preceding the AIMES Awards. The 2009 awards function was held on Thursday October 22nd at the Spencer on Byron Hotel. The high calibre of the applicants led to the introduction of the AIMES Emerging Talent Awards in 2006. The judges determined that there needed to be rewards offered for those who were talented but did not hold the raft of experience of AIMES winners. There were six recipients of these Emerging Talent Awards in 2009. Three were on hand to receive their awards:- Sophie Corbridge, Chris Rahardja and Jenna Gallie. Three were overseas and family members were on hand to accept their awards:- Jason Bae, Ellen Deverall and Arkesh Patel.
JASON BAE (17) - MUSICIAN
Born in South Korea, Jason moved to New Zealand at the age of 10. He has dreamt of becoming a concert pianist since he was five years old.
Jason has been taught and mentored by Rae de Lisle for the past seven years and, after studying with her for just one year, he began to compete in the North Shore and West Auckland Piano Competitions where he won each class entered. He gave his first debut concert at the Aotea Centre with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra playing a Grieg Piano Concerto when he was 12 years old.
In 2008, Jason competed in the 2008 Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition in New York City. He won first prize and, as a result, was given the honour of giving a recital at Carnegie Hall in New York at the age of 16.
Other recent results and achievements have included:- 3rd place at the Christchurch National Concerto Competition in 2008/2009; Winner of the 2008 Inaugural Roenisch Piano Competition; 2008 New Zealand National Young Performer of the Year; Winning most classes in the West Auckland Performing Arts Piano Competition and the North Shore Performing Arts Piano Competition 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2008; Winner of the North Shore City Council Performing Arts Competition in 2004; Winner of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers of New Zealand: Elizabeth Long Piano Scholarship 2005, Lysaght 2006, Schubert 2008, Mary Nathan 2008; Chosen to compete in the USA, Virginia Waring Piano International Competition, 2007.
Jason has performed with the Auckland Youth Orchestra, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra and recitals for the New Zealand Prime Minister in 2006 and the Korean Ambassador of New Zealand in 2008.
SOPHIE CORBRIDGE (18) - TRIATHLETE
Sophie is currently a student of Kristin School where she is a Senior School Prefect and was awarded the Female Sportsperson of the Year and the Overall Sportsperson of the Year Award in 2008.
Sophie’s chosen sport is Triathlon. She has been a carded athlete with Triathlon New Zealand since 2007 and has already represented her country on four occasions, recently competing at the World Championships in Brisbane.
Her recent results have been impressive, including:- 1st Place at the National Secondary Schools Triathlon Championships 2009; 1st Place at the Auckland Secondary Schools Triathlon Championships 2009; 1st Place at the Auckland Secondary Schools Aquathon Championships 2009; 2nd Place at the National U19 Sprint Triathlon Championships 2009; 14th Place at the Youth Olympics Elite U19 Sprint Triathlon Championships Sydney 2009; 12th Place at the World U19 Elite Sprint Triathlon Championships Vancouver 2008; 1st Place at the National U19 Sprint Triathlon Championships 2008; 2nd Place at the National Secondary Schools Triathlon Championships 2008; 25th Place at the World ISF SS Cross Country Championships, Czech Republic 2008.
In addition, Sophie was selected for the 2016 Olympics High Performance Squad, Tri NZ, in 2009 and the Triathlon New Zealand Performance Squad 2008-2009. She was voted the ASB NZ Female Junior Triathlete of the Year in 2008 and Female Sportsperson of the Year by the North Harbour Triathlon Club also in 2008.
ELLEN DEVERALL (25) - MUSICIAN
Ellen attended Birkenhead College, where she was awarded numerous prizes for her significant contribution to the life of the School, not least the Award of Arts Person of the Year in 2002. She was a member of the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Stage Band, Barbershop Chorus & Quartet and the Choir.
She went on to study at Victoria University with Phil Green (Principal Clarinet of the NZSO) where she received a BMus with 1st Class Honours. During her studies in New Zealand, Ellen won the University Concerto Competition as a first year undergraduate student, performing concerti with the university orchestra and the Wellington Chamber Orchestra. Ellen was also the Principal Clarinet of the NZ National Youth Orchestra, a member of the Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and a contract player for the Vector Wellington Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She was also a semi-finalist in the Gisborne Music Competitions in 2005 and 2008, winning the NZ Wind Player Award in both years.
Since September 2007, Ellen has been studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London for a Masters of Music in performance clarinet. In 2006, she won the Royal Overseas League/New Zealand Society Scholarship to the UK, performing recitals in London and Edinburgh whilst also being given the opportunity to audition at the London Conservatories. She received a full scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music where she currently studies with Timothy Lines (previously Principal Clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra), Angela Malsbury (Principal Clarinet of the London Mozart Players) and Richard Addison (previous Principal Eb Clarinet of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).
Ellen has given a solo performance for Her Majesty the Queen during her visit to the Academy, has had lunchtime recitals at St Martins-in-the-Fields and in the Norfolk and Norwich Music Festival and performed as a soloist with the Academy Chamber Orchestra. Ellen has also made several BBC Radio broadcasts with various ensembles and was selected to partake in the London Sinfonietta Side by Side scheme in which she performed with the London Sinfonietta in concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. She was awarded the Paddy Purcell Award for Woodwind Playing in 2008 and the Keith Pearson Award for Orchestral Playing in 2009.
Ellen was recently selected for the Encuentro de Academia de Santander, a chamber music course in Santander, Spain. She is also currently a member of the St James Wind Quintet which was formed in October 2007 for a performance at St James’ Palace and has since won several prestigious prizes and given notable performances, including the BBC Proms, the Queen Elizabeth Hall. They will make their Wigmore Hall debut next year.
JENNA GALLIE (25) - SCIENTIST
Jenna attended Long Bay College, where she was Dux in 2001, and received a North Shore City Council Scholarship for Personal Achievement. During her final year at school Jenna decided that her future career lay in scientific research and was accepted into the research-based BSc (Biomedical) degree at the University of Auckland.
During her three years of study, Jenna studied a total of 21 courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Pathology, Physiology, Pharmacology and Statistics, obtaining 20 A+ grades and one A-. Additionally, she was awarded the Annual Prize as the top student in Biomedical Science in 2003 and the Senior Prize in Biological Science in 2004.
At the conclusion of her BSc, Jenna was invited to join the Biomedical Science honours class, which she accepted, and received a University of Auckland Masters/Honours Scholarship. She undertook her research in cellular and molecular biology with Professor Paul Rainey. In 2005 she was awarded a first class honours degree with an A+ grade. Upon completion of her honours thesis, Jenna was awarded a Bright Futures Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship, enabling her to undertake three years of full time PhD research at Massey University. She has recently submitted her PhD thesis.
Over the course of her PhD Jenna has presented her research results at three international-level conferences, received the Biochemical Journal Young Investigator Award (2005), a prize for the greatest contribution to the field by young researchers (2007) and has given oral presentations on her research at a number of local research symposiums receiving prizes for the best oral presentation at both the University of Auckland Biomedical Science Research Symposium in 2005 and the Massey University Graduate Research Symposium in 2008.
Jenna was a finalist in the 2009 MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year Competition.
ARKESH PATEL (18) - SCHOLAR
Born in Takapuna, Arkesh completed all of his schooling on the North Shore, attending Willow Park Primary, Takapuna Normal Intermediate and Westlake Boys High Schools. In Years nine and 10 at Westlake Boys he gained first place in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, English and Economics. In Year 11 he was first in all six subjects taken (English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and History). In Year 12 he was first in all five subjects taken (English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and in Year 13 he was also first in all subjects taken (Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics). Unsurprisingly, he was Dux in 2008.
Over three years of sitting the Cambridge International Examinations, he maintained a 97% average and gained six ‘Top in the World’ awards, the highest number received by any student in New Zealand.
In Year 12, Arkesh sat NZQA Scholarship English Examinations a year in advance and received an Outstanding Scholarship (top 0.3% of all Year 13 students in NZ). In Year 13 he received five Outstanding Scholarships in English, Calculus, Chemistry, Statistics & Modelling and Science as well as a Scholarship in Physics. He also received an NZQA Scholarship Premier Award and was named the Top Science Scholar in New Zealand. It should be noted that, although Arkesh didn’t study English as a subject in Year 13, he received the top mark in the school for the Scholarship English Examination.
At the end of 2008, Arkesh was awarded a fully-paid scholarship to the University of Auckland. At the beginning of 2009 he was awarded an IPENZ Scholarship for First Year Engineering students as well as a University of Auckland Engineering Scholarship. He was unable to accept these scholarships as he was later chosen to be the recipient of the Douglas Myers Scholarship to the University of Cambridge. After receiving the Douglas Myers Scholarship, Arkesh chose to continue studying at the University of Auckland for a semester, choosing papers outside of engineering, including USA History, Management & Organisation, Politics (International Relations) and Global Economics, receiving an A+ for all papers and a GPA of 9.0 out of 9.0.
Arkesh commenced his studies in Natural Sciences (Physical) at the University of Cambridge in September.
CHRISTOPHER RAHARDJA (17) - KARATE
Chris was also born in Takapuna and attended St Mary’s Primary School. He is currently a student, Prefect and Sports Captain at Rosmini College.
Chris began Karate at the age of five and has dominated his age group at National and Oceania level in recent years. He competes in both disciplines of Karate (Kata forms) and Kumite (fighting). It is unusual for an athlete to excel in both disciplines, however, Chris is an exceptional athlete.
Chris’achievements are many and include the following:- He is a current NZ Senior and Junior team member; He placed 5th in the Senior Men’s Open Kata (forms) at the 2008 Senior World Karate Championships in Tokyo at the age of 16, the best ever result for a New Zealander and the youngest person to ever represent NZ at a Senior World Championship. He is also the youngest person to ever win a Senior Kata title at the NZ Nationals; He received three Golds and a Silver medal at the 2008 Oceania Karate Championships; He is the only person to have ever won three consecutive Oceania Kata (forms) titles in 2004, 2006 & 2008; He won Gold in the Male Senior Open Kata (forms) at the 2007 Yokohama Open Karate Championships; He won six Golds and a Silver at the 2008 National Karate Championships in Wellington; He won four Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at the 2009 National Karate Championships in Wellington; He is the current Junior National Champion in both the Open Kumite (fighting) and Open Kata (forms) and also current Senior National Champion in Kata (forms); He holds the record for the most Golds at a single National Championships (seven Golds in 2007); He won four Golds at both the 2008 and 2009 Open Championships in Christchurch; He was selected to represent NZ at the 2009 Junior World Karate Championships in Rabat in both Kumite (fighting) and Kata (forms); He won two Golds and a Silver at the 2009 Melbourne Open International Championships.
In 2009 Chris was nominated for the Emerging Talent Award at the prestigious Westpac Halberg Awards.
Chris recently competed in the 3rd Sugihara Cup Karate Open Championships, which was held in New Zealand at the North Shore Events Centre, with over 300 competitors including over 70 internationals from as far afield as New Caledonia, France, Japan, Nepal and Turkey. He won both the Junior Kata (forms) and Kumite (fighting) categories and also gained a silver medal in the Senior Open Kata (forms), losing to the currently World 3rd ranked competitor in this event.
North Harbour Club AIMES Awards Winners 2008
Tom received $10,000 for his Sport Award and $20,000 for her Supreme Award. A total of $30,000
Sophie showed an early talent for performing, winning the Junior Talent Quest at
In 2004 Sophie was one of only 20 students accepted into the
In 2006 Silo Theatre held auditions to find the next generation of professional actors. After three days and from over 250 actors who auditioned, Sophie was one of 12 selected by a panel which included Michael Hurst, Oliver Driver, Shane Bosher and Frith Walker. The twelve selected then worked on ‘The Ensemble Project’, two pieces directed by Michael Hurst and Oliver Driver. The Ensemble performed the two pieces in repertory as part of The Auckland Festival ’07. The shows sold out and the season was ex