Travelex, the market leading foreign exchange brand in Australia and New Zealand, has selected the first cohort of seven winter athletes for its new athlete alliance initiative – a social programme designed to comprehensively support both elite athletes and emerging athletic talent.
The diverse group of seven winter athletes were selected from over 90 applicants. They are:
- Sami Kennedy-Sim, 33, Australia, Skier Cross [The lead athlete]: Ski cross athlete Sami has represented Australia twice at the Olympic Winter Games and is currently the #1 ski cross athlete in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Josi Baff, 28, Australia, Snowboard X: Josie started skiing at two years old and snowboarding at five. Her hope is that support from the Athlete Alliance will help her fulfil her dreams of representing Australia to her full potential on the global stage.
- Piera Hudson, 25, New Zealand, Alpine Ski: Piera started skiing at four years old and having started her professional career at 15 is today is on the New Zealand Ski Team. A 10-time National Champion, she has represente d New Zealand at 34 consecutive winters.
- Jonty O’Callaghan, 24, Australia, Para Alpine Ski: Winter Paralympian Jonte is ranked 6th in the world in Super G (super giant slalom). A BA graduate from the University of Melbourne, he is studying a Master of Commerce at RMIT Online.
Jonty said: “The financial support associated with the program is immensely beneficial. While pursuing a winter sport from the Southern Hemisphere carries a significant financial burden in terms of expenses, the extensive travel required simultaneously makes it highly challenging to maintain a consistent source of income.”
- Greta Small, 25, Australia, Alpine Skiing: Two-time Olympian Greta is a former Winter Youth Olympic Ambassador and will be focussing on learning financial skills through the Travelex Athlete Alliance mentoring programme.
- Ashleigh Werner, 28, Australia, Bobsleigh: Former rugby player Ashleigh is a Bobsleigh Driver; with two degrees, Ashleigh also works as a management consultant.
- Campbell Wright, 19, New Zealand, Biathlon: Campbell is the only biathlete from New Zealand racing in the European racing circuits in the World Cup and IBU cups, and he hopes that the Athlete Alliance will help him in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympic selection process.
Campbell said: “The Athlete Alliance for me is an awesome initiative because it not only gives us athletes financial aid as we pursue our dreams, it also gives us a platform for connecting with athletes from other sports. The mentoring programme transcends more than one sport and for that it is unique.”
The Athlete Alliance will see Travelex help the seven athletes by financially assisting them with their ongoing foreign currency. The educational programme will see Travelex volunteers directly working with the athletes to better educate them around responsible financial decision making, including helping them to better plan overseas spending. The mentoring initiative will see Travelex staff work directly with the athletes to share knowledge and broaden their skillsets beyond their current sporting career.
Darren Brown, Managing Director, Travelex Australia and New Zealand said:
“I am incredibly proud that we had 90 applicants. Selecting a group of seven, when every entrant was hugely impressive, was at times a heart-breaking task.
“Having got to know the athletes, their needs and requirements, we believe that we can make a real, tangible difference to their lives. As they head to Europe and the US for their competitive winter season, proudly flying their country’s flag, it is a hugely exciting time to be part of these athletes’ journeys.”
