Paul Gunn scholarship
Honouring a Rider, Mentor, and Visionary.
The Paul Gunn Scholarship has been created to celebrate the life and legacy of Paul Gunn, a passionate rider, creative mind, and tireless supporter of others in the cycling community.
Established by the Whaka100 team in partnership with Paul’s family, the scholarship honours his vision and continues the work he valued most. Each year, it recognises two emerging riders under the age of 23, one female and one male, who demonstrate promise, dedication, and a genuine love for mountain biking.
Each recipient receives $4,500 package, including $2000 cash and entries across the Nduro MTB event portfolio to support their development, whether through entering further events, upgrading equipment, or gaining experiences that will strengthen their riding journey. Applications are reviewed by the Gunn family, ensuring the recipients reflect Paul’s spirit of passion, commitment, and generosity.
Through the Paul Gunn Scholarship, his legacy lives on in the next generation of riders, inspiring them to chase their goals and contribute to the future of mountain biking.
The Paul Gunn Scholarship has been created to celebrate the life and legacy of Paul Gunn, a passionate rider, creative mind, and tireless supporter of others in the cycling community.
Established by the Whaka100 team in partnership with Paul’s family, the scholarship honours his vision and continues the work he valued most. Each year, it recognises two emerging riders under the age of 23, one female and one male, who demonstrate promise, dedication, and a genuine love for mountain biking.
Each recipient receives $4,500 package, including $2000 cash and entries across the Nduro MTB event portfolio to support their development, whether through entering further events, upgrading equipment, or gaining experiences that will strengthen their riding journey. Applications are reviewed by the Gunn family, ensuring the recipients reflect Paul’s spirit of passion, commitment, and generosity.
Through the Paul Gunn Scholarship, his legacy lives on in the next generation of riders, inspiring them to chase their goals and contribute to the future of mountain biking.
Application Guidelines
To be considered for the Paul Gunn Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Event Entry
Applicants must be registered in either the Whaka 50km or Whaka 100km event for 2026.
Age Requirement
Open to male and female riders aged 15 to 22 years as of 31 December 2026.
Application Form
Applicants must complete the official application form, including a short statement outlining their cycling journey, future goals, and how the scholarship would support their development.
Application Closing Date
Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday, 11 October 2026.
Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed by the Gunn family. Finalists will be announced on Monday, 19 October at 9am.
Award Use
Each recipient will receive:
Winners Announced
Recipients will be announced at 3:00pm on Saturday, 24 October 2026, prior to the Whaka 50 prizegiving.
Event Entry
Applicants must be registered in either the Whaka 50km or Whaka 100km event for 2026.
Age Requirement
Open to male and female riders aged 15 to 22 years as of 31 December 2026.
Application Form
Applicants must complete the official application form, including a short statement outlining their cycling journey, future goals, and how the scholarship would support their development.
Application Closing Date
Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday, 11 October 2026.
Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed by the Gunn family. Finalists will be announced on Monday, 19 October at 9am.
Award Use
Each recipient will receive:
- $2,000 cash to support their cycling progression (must be used for event entries, travel, equipment, or training opportunities),
- Entry to all of Nduro's mountain bike for 2026 including the Whaka 100
Winners Announced
Recipients will be announced at 3:00pm on Saturday, 24 October 2026, prior to the Whaka 50 prizegiving.
Application Form
2025 Applications are now closed. Check back mid 2026 for next years scholarship applications
The Story of Paul Gunn
Paul Gunn’s journey in sport began in the late 1980s, when triathlon was still a fledgling pursuit in New Zealand. Arriving at Otago University in 1989 to study physical education, Paul quickly fell in with the triathlon community. With his trademark energy, creativity, and curiosity, he pushed the boundaries of performance, experimenting with equipment, drilling out chainrings, and building disc wheels to shave off precious seconds.
As an athlete, Paul’s commitment was unwavering. He once admitted, “If I don’t have something to train for, I tend to slob out. I need a goal to work towards, no goal, no motivation.” That drive carried him through countless training sessions and remarkable performances. Highlights included a 2:38 Rotorua Marathon in 1994 and a silver medal in the 20 to 24 age group at the 1996 Triathlon World Long Course Championships in Muncie, USA. Paul was also the first athlete to wear a heart rate monitor for the full duration of an Ironman, data that became part of John Ackland’s influential book The Power to Perform.
Paul’s athleticism extended beyond triathlon. He was an outstanding cyclist and mountain biker, known for his skill on descents and his fearless pursuit of Strava segment records. Crashes were frequent, but so too were the stories and laughs that followed. For Paul, it was always about going hard and living fully.
Beyond his own racing, Paul’s career was built on a love of sport and a gift for communication. Starting in radio sales, he moved into agency work and eventually became a leading figure in sport media, PR, and sponsorship. He had a unique ability to generate ideas and connect people, whether securing sponsorship for events, linking brands with athletes, or staging creative activations.
His work touched almost every corner of sport in New Zealand. He played a key role in campaigns around New Zealand Football, including the All Whites’ historic 2010 World Cup run in South Africa and the celebrated One Shot for Glory campaign in 2014. He also contributed to the Winter Games, Triathlon New Zealand, and projects that blended sport with tourism and innovation, such as mountain biking and craft beer experiences.
In 2021, Paul began working with the Whaka100 as PR consultant. His creativity not only helped shape the voice of the event, but also influenced its identity, including the design of the Whaka100 logo as it is recognised today. Paul was also a rider, having taken part in the Whaka 25km, 50km, and the demanding 100km distances. He understood the event from both sides: as a participant and as a storyteller.
Paul’s influence went well beyond paid work. He was a volunteer, a board member, and a referee, often giving his time freely to support others. During the challenges of the Covid pandemic, he provided guidance to the Whaka100 team, helping the event navigate through uncertainty. On the sidelines of his son Sam’s football matches, Paul was a spirited referee and passionate supporter, his energy and humour as much a part of the game as the play itself.
Friends and colleagues consistently described Paul as creative, relentless, and full of positivity. He was the mastermind behind ideas, the one always ready with a plan or a suggestion, but equally the one who made every training ride, race, or work project more enjoyable with his endless chat and laughter.
At the heart of everything was his love for his family, his community, and the simple joy of sport. He had a knack for giving his time, listening, and lifting others up. From his days pioneering triathlon to his deep involvement in football, snow sports, mountain biking, and beyond, Paul lived a life defined by energy, generosity, and a belief in what sport can give to people.
Paul’s story is one of achievement, creativity, and connection, but most of all it is a story of legacy. Through the Paul Gunn Scholarship, his passion for nurturing young riders will continue, inspiring a new generation to chase their goals, support each other, and carry forward the spirit that Paul embodied.
As an athlete, Paul’s commitment was unwavering. He once admitted, “If I don’t have something to train for, I tend to slob out. I need a goal to work towards, no goal, no motivation.” That drive carried him through countless training sessions and remarkable performances. Highlights included a 2:38 Rotorua Marathon in 1994 and a silver medal in the 20 to 24 age group at the 1996 Triathlon World Long Course Championships in Muncie, USA. Paul was also the first athlete to wear a heart rate monitor for the full duration of an Ironman, data that became part of John Ackland’s influential book The Power to Perform.
Paul’s athleticism extended beyond triathlon. He was an outstanding cyclist and mountain biker, known for his skill on descents and his fearless pursuit of Strava segment records. Crashes were frequent, but so too were the stories and laughs that followed. For Paul, it was always about going hard and living fully.
Beyond his own racing, Paul’s career was built on a love of sport and a gift for communication. Starting in radio sales, he moved into agency work and eventually became a leading figure in sport media, PR, and sponsorship. He had a unique ability to generate ideas and connect people, whether securing sponsorship for events, linking brands with athletes, or staging creative activations.
His work touched almost every corner of sport in New Zealand. He played a key role in campaigns around New Zealand Football, including the All Whites’ historic 2010 World Cup run in South Africa and the celebrated One Shot for Glory campaign in 2014. He also contributed to the Winter Games, Triathlon New Zealand, and projects that blended sport with tourism and innovation, such as mountain biking and craft beer experiences.
In 2021, Paul began working with the Whaka100 as PR consultant. His creativity not only helped shape the voice of the event, but also influenced its identity, including the design of the Whaka100 logo as it is recognised today. Paul was also a rider, having taken part in the Whaka 25km, 50km, and the demanding 100km distances. He understood the event from both sides: as a participant and as a storyteller.
Paul’s influence went well beyond paid work. He was a volunteer, a board member, and a referee, often giving his time freely to support others. During the challenges of the Covid pandemic, he provided guidance to the Whaka100 team, helping the event navigate through uncertainty. On the sidelines of his son Sam’s football matches, Paul was a spirited referee and passionate supporter, his energy and humour as much a part of the game as the play itself.
Friends and colleagues consistently described Paul as creative, relentless, and full of positivity. He was the mastermind behind ideas, the one always ready with a plan or a suggestion, but equally the one who made every training ride, race, or work project more enjoyable with his endless chat and laughter.
At the heart of everything was his love for his family, his community, and the simple joy of sport. He had a knack for giving his time, listening, and lifting others up. From his days pioneering triathlon to his deep involvement in football, snow sports, mountain biking, and beyond, Paul lived a life defined by energy, generosity, and a belief in what sport can give to people.
Paul’s story is one of achievement, creativity, and connection, but most of all it is a story of legacy. Through the Paul Gunn Scholarship, his passion for nurturing young riders will continue, inspiring a new generation to chase their goals, support each other, and carry forward the spirit that Paul embodied.
2025 paul gunn Scholarship winners
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The inaugural winners of the Paul Gunn Scholarship were 21-year-old Amélie Mackay from Christchurch and 17-year-old Fletcher Adams from Matangi.
Both the Gunn Family and the team at Nduro are looking forward to supporting and watching their Mountain Biking journeys unfold. |
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