We are now taking applications for our 2026 schools focus group! Registrations close 27 February 2026. 

Please see the application form here. 

We are super excited to announce our 14 awesome Focus Group members for 2025!

• Hannah Paine from St Peter's Cambridge

• Pyper Newton from Awatapu College

• Issy Marr from Mount Hutt College

• Eva Whyman from St Peter's Cambridge

• Poppy Stocker from Bohally Intermediate

• Miles Preena from King's College

• Oliver Clark from Christchurch Boys' High School 

• Jack Karetai-Barrett from Whakatane High School 

• Jesse Johnston from Timaru Boys' High School 

• George Fisher, Home School Student 

• Zach Trautz from Kerikeri High School

• Noah Hemmingsen from Lindisfarne College

• Alex Craig from Marlborough Boys' College

• Max Allan from Auckland Grammar School 

We have made some great progress this year in the schools cycling space including a new schools spirit award added into each event, Kaha the Kiwi! We have also revised the strategic values of schools cycling leading into 2026 and added a schools focus group spotlight piece into each monthly newsletter. Having a strong social media presence is also important to us, and this year the schools focus group have been managing this at each event. Spreading content of our events across the schools cycling community. 

We have an awesome team of 12 riders in our Schools Focus Group for 2024. The group has been working hard to improve our Schools Cycling community. The groups main focus for this year so far has been to increase participation and to  make our events fun for all involved!

Some ideas that the group has thought of so far that CNZS will be implementing going forward:

• Sharing more information across our Schools Cycling Social media platforms to get those involved and aware of events and sharing important updates 

• Knowledge and workshops provided around Sport Integrity to our riders and involvement at events 

• Expansion of a riders toolkit that includes the use of feeder schools to help younger and new riders into the Schools Cycling program, as well as the support from 'Optimize my Ride'. This making more resources available to our cycling community 

• Additional events to our Schools track programs- the standing 250m event 

• Organising and arranging safe transport at our Schools events. For example at the NZSS Northern Tour, putting out group rides from the ITT to the Hill Climb so riders can go together in bunches. 

Hannah Paine - St Peters Cambridge

Ava Galloway - Baradene College

Jessie Coxon - Palmerston North Girls

Victoria Barrett - Taupo Nui-a-tia

Maddy Sinclair - Marlborough Girls

Meg Baker - Cashmere High School

Ben Wyatt - James Hargest College

Thomas Winter - Tauranga Boys College

Max Allen - Auckland Grammar School

Finn Mckenzie - Marlborough Boys College

Ben Crawford - Christs College

Mackenzie Currie - Mount Hutt College

The seven students below worked together in 2023 to help make schools cycling better.

Some ideas the group thought of and CNZS will be trying to implement in 2024 includes:

• Changing the way top school trophies are awarded, streamlining this system across all events and recognising smaller schools to help them be competitive also.

• The idea of adding CX team relays to the North and South Island Champs events.

• Promoting cross-code participation in particular getting more riders to try CX and promoting this to the MTB and Road riders more specifically.

• Adding more off the podium awards/prizes, looking at the Schools Cycling Passion Award across all events.

• Encouraging organisers to have some off the bike / fun races and games around the main events.

Andrew Richardson - St Peters College Palmerston North

Charlie Hegan - Christchurch Boys High

Devon Ray - Kerikeri High School

Else Pauwels - Gisborne Girls High School

Jessie Coxon - Palmerston North Girls High

Lara Comeskey - St Mary's College Wellington

Mya Wolfenden - Rangi Ruru Girls School

The nine students below worked together in 2022 to help make schools cycling better.

Some ideas the group thought of and CNZS has implemented includes:

• Creating a 'What's Happening in the Regions' section of the website and in the monthly newsletter.

• Creating a generic sponsorship template, for any school team to copy and update as a starting point to try and get sponsorship for their school cycling team.

• Creating a Schools Leavers section of the website for info for riders finishing school to find out a bit more about what the main NZ universities offer for cycling to continue in the sport.

Mathew Jamieson - Palmerston North Boys High

Poppy Croucher - Rotorua Lakes High School

D'Arcy Sanders - Christchurch Boys High School

Zara Mackey - Wakatipu High School

Ben Westenberg - Tauranga Boys College

Lara Comeskey - St Mary's College

Luke Blackwood - Westlake Boys High School

Mya Wolfenden - Rangi Ruru Girls School

Emily Shaw - Baradene College

The eight students below worked together during 2021 to help improve Schools Cycling.

Bee Townsend - Epsom Girls Grammar School

D'Arcy Sanders - Christchurch Boys High School

Devon Briggs - Cambridge High School

Luke Blackwood - Westlake Boys High School

Matthew Jamieson - Palmerston North Boys High

Poppy Croucher - Rotorua Lakes High School

Tiree Robinson - Kerikeri High School

Zara Mackley - Wakatipu High School