iPhone app developer George Sealy (front), Sparc
high-performance consultant Richard Young (left) and Igtimi
owner Brent Russell. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Millions of dollars are being poured into researching
and developing technology for New Zealand's high-performance
athletes to help give them an edge on the competition. Much of
that money is being spent by Dunedin technology
entrepreneurs. Business editor Dene
Mackenzie investigates.
If there is an edge to be gained by New Zealand's elite
athletes as they prepare for the 2012 Olympics, then chances
are technology developed in Dunedin will be a major factor in
keeping ahead of the competition.
Millions of dollars are being invested in research and
development in the city as entrepreneurs put their skills to
the test to help the athletes become even better at what they
do.
Sometimes, the sporting applications come from technology
already developed but needing to be tweaked to become a
sports application.
Other times, the sporting application had already been
developed, but more refinements were needed as demands from
athletes and coaches became more detailed.
The man overseeing much of this exciting technological
development is Richard Young, a high-performance consultant
with Sparc (Sport and Recreation New Zealand).
Mr Young and his family moved to Dunedin from Auckland about
four years ago because of the contacts he had made within the
tight-knit technology industry.
He figured it was better to be within a kilometre or two of
the people he was dealing with than the length of New
Zealand.
Was it worth the shift, the Otago Daily Times asked Mr
Young.
"For Dunedin, there is a critical mass of technology for
high-performance sport. There are niches in other centres -
coding in Auckland, engineering in Christchurch. But in
Dunedin, it is sports.
"We [Sparc] have a close relationship with each of the guys
here. When I needed a website, I was pointed to Enabling
Technology. It is a close community and everyone can work
together," he said.
There were two major developments to have recently come out
of Dunedin that were already helping top sports people - an
iPhone application training tool for triathletes, developed
by George Sealy, and a tracking device for Yachting New
Zealand, developed by Brent Russell, of Igtimi, and Ian
Taylor, of Animated Research Ltd.
Mr Russell also had a role in the iPhone app development.
The third major prong of Mr Young's campaign to help athletes
prepare for the Olympics was a new website -
highperformancesport.co.nz or hssport.com - to which
athletes, coaches and officials from New Zealand, Australia,
the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States can upload
"non-secret" information from conferences, competitions and
research.
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