Rangiora High School girls' 1st XV co-captain Grace Tooley knows exactly how much periods can hold girls back on the field: The anxiety, the distraction, and the girls who simply stop showing up.

So she built a solution — her business, Mana Malosi, makes period-safe rugby shorts designed to remove that barrier entirely.

“As a rugby player, I recognised that periods can be a major source of anxiety for girls in sport, affecting confidence, participation, and performance,’’ Grace says.

“I wanted to create a solution that would allow athletes to focus on playing rather than worrying about leaks or embarrassment.’’

That determination has now made her the GirlBoss Innovation Award winner at the 2026 Canterbury GirlBoss Awards, held at the Christchurch Town Hall.

Grace, who also serves as Head Girl and Deputy Pasifika Captain at Rangiora High, sees the mission as bigger than the product.

Women's health in sport, she says, is too often overlooked.

“Instead of accepting this as something girls simply have to deal with, I chose to create a solution.’’

Her hope is that other girls follow suit.

“I want younger girls to see that they can be leaders, athletes, entrepreneurs, and changemakers too.”

A Night of Celebration

On Tuesday, September 1, the Canterbury GirlBoss Awards lit up the Christchurch Town Hall, celebrating seven of the region's most inspiring young women. This year, 139 young women were nominated for a Canterbury GirlBoss Award.

The Canterbury GirlBoss Awards were made possible through the generous support of Major Sponsors, Orion and Connetics, and category sponsors: Sport Canterbury, Jade, Stantec, Chapman Tripp, Enable, and St Margaret's College.

GirlBoss founder, Alexia Hilbertidou, who started the organisation at just 16, says the winners capture what the GirlBoss Awards are all about.

“What our winners lack in age, they make up for in courage and heart. Every one of them has stood up on behalf of others to make our country a better place. They are proof that you are never too young to create change.’’

Mark Lewis, Head of People and Culture at Connetics, says the Canterbury GirlBoss Awards are a vital platform for recognising the resilience, leadership, and innovation of our young wāhine.

“These winners are not just inspiring their peers. They are paving the way for future generations. “It's an honour for Connetics and Orion to support such an empowering initiative.”