President

KartSport NZ: Nomination for President 2022-2024

Brent Melhop

20^th June 2022

Hi, my name is Brent Melhop and as you know I am the current Vice President (VP) of Kartsport New Zealand and I wish to stand for President for the next two year term.

As a Board member currently I have already displayed an ability to be agile, to think outside the box, and to be able to make forward thinking decisions for the betterment of our sport. My aim is over Kartsport to new leadership in 2 year’s time in a strong and growing position, working with all our partners in the sport be they Drivers, Parents, Sponsor or our amazing trade shop.

I appreciate the nomination from my Home club KartSport Wellington and would love to be able to work for a term as President.

Background

• I have been working on the and with the executive/Board for the last 18 years as per the following
• KartSport NZ Vice president for the last 4 years
• KartSport NZ Treasurer for 17 years  (I have worked with 4 different Presidents)
• 9 years as President in Wellington
• 28 years Treasurer of Kartsport Wellington
• 32 years of continuous Kart racing- I am a competitor (over 1,500 races) in Club class Yamaha, open, Gearbox, Rotax Max Light and Heavy, Briggs LO206
• Current Holder of the Briggs National Endurance Title with my team mates  Shaun Croskery and Thomas Batt
• Life Member of Kartsport Wellington
• WPKA Treasurer, Delegate and Vice President over the last 5 plus years
• An accountant with my own business for over 25 years 

In my spare time I love to water ski and I bring a strong moral and ethical view as part of my Christian faith to our sport.

My Goals:

My focus is around club development and growth.  I have a passion for the grass roots of karting, at club racing level, were all our national and international Champions start.

I am a passionate outspoken Karter who gets involved in making our sport not only operate but improve. I speak my mind, I debate strongly and believe I make informed decisions . 

1. I wish to continue the development of the Briggs/Racket 120 Grass roots class that has given some clubs in New Zealand the much needed boost in membership and volunteers.
2. I wish to Work on helping clubs with their membership growth at club level, using my experience in club management and the continued development of the Sporty digital platform to improve our management of the sport.
3. I wish to continue the solid fiscal management of our governing body, especially as I would be stepping down from the Treasurer role after 18 years
4. I wish to continue to ensure that the costs of karting are managed to make it a sport that people can enter in a cost effect way but accepting we are not a cheap sport to join.
5. I strongly believe in User pays, and that costs be fairly attributed to those karters using the resources of kart clubs and Kartsport.
6. While I believe the sport needs to work closely with its various engine/tyre suppliers and the NZ Karting trade, the Sport needs to retain a strong governance position to ensure:

• Fairness
• Consistency
• Parity
• Equipment redundancy is limited
• Appropriate safety standards
• Training support for all our volunteers and the clubs they run​​​​​​​

Brent Melhop

20^th June 2022

Vice President

KartSport NZ: Nomination for Vice President 2022-2024

Darren Johnson

Hello Karting Community.

As many of you know, I am a later in life starter to our wonderful sport of Karting.  I followed my son into the sport, and since then have developed a passion for all things motor racing.

My skills on the track are limited to say the least, but I love being one of those club day warriors that gets out for a skid as often as I can.

Off the track, I have served two years as President of KartSport Auckland Incorporated.  In those two years I achieved my main goals of;

  1.  bringing good governance to KartSport Auckland with a strong and inclusive committee

  2.  growing the club; and  3.  developing and handing on to a natural successor.

I have now served for almost a year on the KartSport New Zealand Board.  I ran for that role on the ticket of also strengthening the governance model at KartSport New Zealand as our sport matures.

My recommendation to change the name of our governing body to 'Board' was more than just a name change, it reflects a different approach to governance that the Board will take going forward.

Going forward I see the Board playing a strong governance role, while delegating the operation of the sport to a strong management team under James Hadley.  The role of the President under Brent is expected to transition to be more akin to a Chairperson of a Board over the next 12 months, ensuring separation between governance and operations to ensure that our great sport has the right governance model in which to mature and flourish.Work has been done over the last year to tidy up the KartSport New Zealand Constitution, again in support of strong governance and to clearly defined the roles of the Club and KartSport New Zealand.

I am a strong believer that KartSport New Zealand’s role is to provide a competitive service to clubs, and to be reactive to the Clubs needs.  The Clubs should always be treated as the customers of KartSport New Zealand.

I strongly support Brent running for the role of President, and was pleased to be asked to co-run with Brent.  Brent and I have a very good professional working relationship which I look forward to continuing to work together.  Together I am confident that we can achieve the right outcomes for KartSport in New Zealand

Not wanting to pre-suppose the members wishes, but it looks like the sport will enjoy a well-balanced Board in the future, with Tiff and Regan providing great representation in their respective roles, and Mark also bringing the perspective of the officials and another driver.Outside of spending time with my family and hanging out at the Kart track, I am a Partner in a Big 4 accounting firm, specialising in Tax & Business Advisory.

Either Island Representative

KartSport NZ: Nomination for Either Island 2022-2024

Darren Johnson

See Above

Either Island Representative

KartSport NZ: Nomination for Either island 2022-2024

Mark Barnhill​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

With an open mind and a diverse background, I can be an asset to the KartSport Board. I am able to bring to the table a wide range of Karting experience and knowledge. My diversity at the moment being a Sprint and SuperKart Driver, Grade 2 Race Official, SuperKart Drivers Club Committee Member gives me good insight and a strong foundation of issues from multiple perspectives.

My Professional Standpoint. Currently, I am the IT & Business Intelligence Manager at Carters Tyre Service and have been there for over 14 years. Starting from the shop floor and completing my apprenticeship I have worked my way up to my current role. Over the years I have been successful across multiple key areas of the Business and have been the Lead on many key projects. After completing a range of Microsoft certifications and an intense study at MIT in both IT and Finance and my strong knowledge of technology, I can bring a lot to the table.

Digital is the way forward and Kartsport Clubs, Competitors and Officials. Currently KartSport is making this significant investment with Sporty, and I believe that the key to success with this transformation will take the effort from the entire Karting Family and as a Member of the Board, I will be able to add value to this project with my vast background in IT and Systems.

To develop as an organization, we must adapt with the times and welcome change to ensure new growth in all areas and I would be honored to be part of the journey and work alongside the Clubs Management, and the Board to deliver the best sporting experience to the individual KartSport has to offer.

Mark Barnhill – 021 885023 – mark.barnhill@carterstyres.co.nz

Linkedin - www.linkedin.com/in/mark-barnhill

KartSport Video - https://fb.watch/dHgxuhPtBv/

KartSport Board "Previous" Nominees/Appointees For Office

KartSport New Zealand 2021 Annual General Meeting Nominees for 2021/23 Term

Kartport Affiliated Clubs will vote for each position at the AGM. KartSport has received nominations for the following positions for election in 2021. ​​​​​​​

• Patron (1-year term)
• South Island Representative (1-year term)
• North Island Representative (2-year term)
• Either Island Representative (2-year term)

Tiffany Chittenden

Executive South Island & Appointed Academy Director

I Tiff Chittenden, wish to stand for the position of South Island Representative and to be on the KartSport New Zealand board for 2021/2022.

I believe I have the drive and knowledge to not only represent both clubs and competitors but also understand the sport and industry so will be able to see the “bigger” picture when it comes to growing and developing its future in New Zealand.

In terms of qualifications for this role I have not only raced karts for over 25 years but I have also worked within the sport in many different roles throughout the world which has given me valuable insights and experience into what could and could not work in New Zealand. I was twice Junior British Champion and in 2007 won the British DD2 Championship. I have represented Great Britain once and New Zealand three times at the Rotax World Finals and am still the highest place female ever to compete. I have also competed and managed New Zealand Drivers at multiple International events including the Supernationals in Las Vegas which is the biggest Kart race in the World. As well as this experience I have worked with some of the world’s leading manufactures & leading authorities in Motorsport and have been trained in professional coaching by the FIA and Motorsports Sports Association in the UK. This makes me one of the only Coaches in New Zealand with this level of qualification.

As well as the practical experience and qualifications I have gained over the years, I have lived and breathed KartSport for over 30 years. I believe it is part of who I am today as I have travelled all over the world and met many influential people in my life due to the sport which ultimately brought me to settle in New Zealand. I have great passion and love for the sport and I appreciate the support and effort put into KartSport New Zealand by the current volunteers and Board. However, I do see a need for a big push and a change in direction to enable it to survive and flourish in the future. To enable these changes to happen I believe that the younger and current members of KartSport need to stand up and help the already established members of the board that have put in the groundwork so far. I believe I can be an asset to the board as the South Island representative because I am active within the sport and have the drive to make the sport the best it can be, I have witnessed what New Zealand drivers can do on the International scene and I want to bring all the positives from what I have seen work elsewhere home to KartSport New Zealand.

Through my work coaching in New Zealand, I have witnessed first-hand the difficulty for newcomers to the sport and I would like to help both young and old have a better experience when they first come to the sport. I believe this will grow KartSport in many ways and appreciate that without the grassroots of karting we will not be able to achieve success in any form, whether Nationally or Internationally.

I am aware that I am still extremely active in KartSport in a professional manner, and that this may create doubts for some in supporting me, as they may fear I will not be able to be partial. On this matter, I can only say that if you know anyone I have worked with they will certainly say that I am harder on my drivers than anyone on the outside and that I always educate them to act on the side of fairness and sportsmanship. I am very confident that in my role I will be able to act impartially and always on the side that I believe is best for the sport, the clubs and the licence holders.

Should your team have the confidence in supporting a fresh but experienced member to represent you on the Executive I would be honoured to accept your clubs support for a nomination firstly for the position of Executive South Island. Given my kart and car coaching/instructor roles see me stationed all over the nation I would be delighted if you would also nominate me, as a backup, for “Executive Either Island” which is also up for election. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or suggestions.

Kind Regards,

Tiff Chittenden

MOTORING QUALIFICATIONS

• ARDS Level A Instructor - Highest Level Instructor Qualification in Europe.
• MSA Performance Level 3 Certified Driver Coach - (Motorsports Association - including Karting)
• MSA Official Karting Test Driver & Coach for Junior Development Scheme 2010 - 2014
• SDSA Level 4 Certified Instructor (Wet Handling, Advanced Handling Dynamics, Choreographed Stunt Driving, Event Management and Advanced Driving Activity Safety Briefings, Ice Driving Skills)
• Over 15 year’s experience of Driver Coach for all ages & Classes of Karting
• Holder of International A Kart Licence for over 10 years before surrendering for NZ Race Licence
• Driving Specialist with New Zealand’s top Automotive Events company, Downforce since 2014.
• Driver Coach for WKS Kartstore 2014 – Current

KARTING CV

• British DD2 Karting Champion
• Junior F6 British Champion x 2
• European DD2 Championship Round - 3rd
• Most successful Female at the Rotax Grand Finals ever.
• 2nd DD2 Master NZ Championship

Links to Further Information:

• https://www.kartsport.org.nz/GET-STARTED/COACHES-1/Tiffany-Hamilton-Coach
• http://www.womeninmotorsport.co.nz/latest-news/tiffany-chittenden-racing-as-an-equal/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-chittenden-8363a849/
• https://www.downforce.co.nz/meet-the-team
• https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/tiffany-chittenden/​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​

Regan Hall

Executive: North Island

I would like to put myself into the mix as a candidate for one of the positions (North Island or Either Island) on the KartSport Executive.

Like so many of you, I can see a huge opportunity to bring the 'best-kept secret in sport' to a far greater audience, enabling us to grow enquiry and bring newcomers to our awesome world of karting. This starts with grassroots karting at a club level and filters right through to the top level. Using my years of marketing experience alongside a lifetime of being around karting, this is an opportunity to help make karting bigger and better than ever!

I've been involved in karting since I was two years old - in 1982 when my father was racing Yamaha's at the Hawkes Bay Kart club. I started racing when I was 8 years old in what was then midgets (lawnmower motors) along with my brother. My father was treasurer of the NZKF sometime back in the early ’90s when Norm Collison was president and Mark Jenkinson vice president.

After racing at a top level in Junior and then Senior Yamaha, including a North Island title in 1995, I had a 16-year break from karting from 2000 through to 2016 and now race in KZ2 and KZ2 Masters. I take a much more relaxed approach to my own racing now than when I was a youngster as I realise my chances of becoming an F1 driver are becoming fairly slim at the ripe old age of 40!

My commercial experience is in Digital Marketing, having recently sold my partnership in an agency we built over many years, I now mainly work as a Digital Marketing strategist, trainer and coach for SME's. My website is www.reganhall.co.nz

I have many years of experience in various executive and board-level roles. I'm currently an elected board member of Heart Of The City, NZ’s largest business association and a very influential part of Auckland’s central business district. I’ve been on the board there for 6 years now and previously held a similar role with the Newmarket Business Association for 3 years. I’ve also held committee roles on a small sports club and the Auckland Rotary Club.

I would be honoured to bring my skills to the table and join what I see as an already very focussed and professional executive that would hopefully benefit from a slightly more youthful member who can lead the team's new focus on marketing for recruitment and retention for both members and volunteers.

I would sincerely appreciate your support for the positions of Executive North Island or Executive Either Island.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have - my contact details below. Regards

Regan Hall

021 652029 regan@creativepeople.co.nz

Darren Johnson

Executive: Either Island

Personal

Married to Marina

Three children, 12, 15, & 18.

Experience

Tax & Private Partner - Deloitte

President - KartSport Auckland Inc. - July 2020 to present

Treasurer - KartSport Auckland In.c - June 2019 to July 2020

Member of Board of Trustees - Odyssey House Inc. - September 2014 to present

Member of Various Advisory Board - with a strong focus on Strategy, Governance and Finance

BCom/LLB (Accounting & Finance) - University of Auckland

Chartered Accountant

Admitted as a Barrister & Solicitor in the High Court of New Zealand - never practiced

Sporting Experience

Karting - DD2 - 2019 to present

New Zealand Track & Field Team for Oceania Games - 1994

6th 400mH Oceania Games - 1994

Auckland Track & Field Team - regularly until 1995

National Champion Team - U20 4*400m - 1993 - Auckland

What I want to bring to the Sport

A strong focus on growth of Driver and Official numbers at the grass routes level.

• 2,000 Drivers by 2024
• Focus on 'Have a Go Programs'
• Make participation easy/affordable through technology and other initiatives.  I am a strong supporter of Sporty.

A strong focus on the Governance of the Sport; including

• A clear separation between Governance (voluntary) and Operations
• A strong voice for our Clubs
• Diversity of Thought and Experience - Making sure all of our people are heard and represented

New enthusiastic fresh blood with fresh ideas.

My promise - To consult widely, and always do what I think is best for KartSport.  I will always change my view when I am shown a better option.

Linked in Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-johnson-1b854215/

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