News & Updates

Athletics NZ and New Zealand Masters Athletics (NZMA) have updated their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reflect the ever-changing athletics environment, with the aim of establishing a closer working relationship.

NZMA is an associate member of Athletics NZ, and its primary focus has been the delivery of track and field events to its members. Athletics NZ members were required to pay an additional fee to have access to NZMA events, which also allowed access to Oceania and World Championships events.

An initial MoU between the two organisations was signed in 2016, whereby the additional NZMA fee was dropped for all Athletics NZ masters. By joining an Athletics NZ club, they are by default members for NZMA. This allowed all masters within both organisations access to NZMA, Oceania and World Masters events.

Over the past seven years the MoU has provided a strong base for improved relationships and communication between both organisations. However, as the athletics environment has continued to evolve it has become apparent an updated MoU was necessary. Most Masters Centres throughout New Zealand no longer have the capacity to organise championship events without the help of their local Athletics NZ Centre officials. Both Athletics NZ and NZMA have worked collaboratively – and the updated MoU includes the NZMA seeking greater assistance from Athletics NZ in the following areas:

• Closer collaboration around the planning of summer track and field competitions, to ensure the various NZMA Championships are well planned and fit into the wider track and field calendar.
• Enable a better oversight of master’s membership and enable better communication to the master’s athletics community.
• Collaboration to profile NZMA events and members in regular Athletics NZ communications.

Athletics NZ coordinates all masters championships for all out of stadia events and has done so since the 1990s. NZMA has retained leadership of their three masters track and field events – North Island, South Island and NZMA Championships.

New Zealand Masters Athletics President Andrew Stark said: “With fewer NZMA members nationally and most masters belonging to clubs, it makes perfect sense to work closer together.  The success of our track and field championships relies on club masters athletes attending.  Assistance from Athletics NZ and all Athletics NZ Centres, is key for our events to be successful.”

Athletics NZ CE Cam Mitchell said: “Our vibrant masters community form a key component within our sport, so we welcome further collaboration between Athletics NZ and the NZMA. The updated MoU offers further evidence of a strengthening of our relationship, and we look forward to continuing to work more closely with the NZMA.”

The policy is due for review in May 2025.