Mitre 10 Mega Wanganui Future Champions Trust funding round is now open and will close on March 31

Richard Millward, trustee of Future Champions Trust, Grant Clark, Castlecliff Golf Club representative and fund recipient Tara Raj signal the opening of the latest round of funding applications.

Whanganui athletes with impending international assignments have a seven week window to seek financial assistance.

The latest Mitre 10 Mega Wanganui Future Champions Trust funding round is now open and will close on March 31.

The trust has the goal to provide financial support to talented young sports people who have the ability to compete at the very highest level in their chosen sport, but may need extra support to achieve their goals.

The trust is encouraging promising athletes who are in need of financial support to consider applying, with the aim to give the district's talented sporting youth a "hand up" to reach their full potential at an international level in their chosen sport.

Jack Clifton, a young Whanganui Kayaker and recipient of the Future Champions Trust funding says it took pressure off.

"The funding that I received from the Future Champions Trust was a massive help to my sporting goals last year, it took a lot of pressure off me and my parents and I was able to concentrate on my training. I feel so proud to be representing a community that is so supportive," Clifton said.

The trust has been operating for five years and has granted close to $50,000 to 52 individual athletes assisting them in reaching and achieving at internationally acclaimed events.

Hayden Gibson, owner of Mitre 10 MEGA Wanganui, the Trust's naming sponsor, is proud to be involved.

"As proud Whanganui business owners we are committed to supporting our community and the Future Champions Trust is a great way to support our youth to become champions, role models and future leaders in our community," Gibson said.

The trust encourages athletes interested in applying to visit the website www.futurechampionstrust.org to assess the criteria for the fund, and to access an application form.

Funding rounds are held twice yearly, at the end of March and September with the latest round providing grants to:

Genna Maples — Athletics, selected to represent New Zealand in the Australian All Schools Athletics Championship held in Cairns, Australia in December 2018.

Tayla Brunger — Athletics, selected to represent New Zealand at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championship held in Cairns in December and selected to represent NZ in the Athletics NZ High Performance Relay Squad.

Georgia Bryant — Triathlon, selected to represent New Zealand in the Under 19 age group Triathlon Team at the ITU World Triathlon Champs in the Gold Coast, Australia in September 2018.

Jordan Cohen — Hockey, selected to attend the U18 NZ Hockey camp in New Plymouth in December 2018.

Tara Raj — Golf, selected to compete in the national age group and women's tournaments within New Zealand and Australia throughout 2018.