Backing Our Local Sporting Champions

Written By Kim Manunui

At BFA, supporting our local community goes beyond the office. It’s something we live and breathe. Whether it's through staff giving their time and energy to local clubs, cheering on their kids from the sidelines, or proudly backing events as sponsors, sport is a big part of who we are. From standout tournament results to milestone celebrations and award-winning performances, here’s a look at some of the recent sporting moments we’ve been proud to be part of.

2025 Taupō District Sports Awards

We’re proud to have been a platinum sponsor of the 2025 Taupō District Sports Awards - an event that shines a light on the incredible sporting talent and dedication in our community.

It was a fantastic evening with strong BFA representation across the board. Lisa Welch, attended as part of Tri-Sport Taupō, whose athletes were nominated in multiple categories. While the team that won the NZ Co-Ed Secondary Schools Triathlon Championship didn’t take out their category on the night, Lisa and her son Travis - a Tri-Sport Taupō club athlete - were there to celebrate fellow club members who did win awards and scholarships. A proud moment for the club and a great night for the wider sporting whānau.

Nick Hume and his wife Rachel were also in the crowd, supporting their son Ryan, who was nominated for Junior Sportsman of the Year - an amazing achievement and well-earned recognition.

Mark Sinclair attended in his role with the Team Taupō Junior Sports Scholarships, continuing BFA’s long-standing support of youth development in sport.

And a huge congratulations to some familiar faces - our very own Joe O’Donoghue and the Taupō AFC 1st XI, who took out Adult Team of the Year, after a stellar year (more on that below), and Karen Corbett’s son Zach and the U16 Lake Taupō Rep Basketball team, were awarded Secondary Team of the Year.

A massive night celebrating the best of local sport, on and off the field. We’re stoked to be part of it.


Taupō AFC Secure Southern Conference Title

Earlier this season, the Taupō AFC Men’s First Team stormed to victory in the Lotto NRFL Southern Conference, finishing with two dominant wins (11-0 and 12-1) to claim the title on goal difference ahead of Northern United.

Our very own Joe O’Donoghue, Vice-Captain of the team, had an outstanding season, taking out the league’s Golden Boot with 33 goals in just 16 games!

Taupō went on to win their first promotion play-off match 1–0 against Northland FC in Whangārei, before hosting the second leg at Crown Park, where they also won 1-0. The aggregate winner of the two-match series secured promotion to the 2026 Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship.

A brilliant campaign for the club, and a proud moment for Joe and all involved.

 

U16 Lake Taupō Representative Team Take Third at SAS Slam Tournament

Over Labour Weekend, the U16 Lake Taupō Premier Basketball Team, proudly sponsored by BFA, competed in the SAS Slam Tournament in Auckland, one of the country’s largest youth basketball events, with over 200 players across three North Shore venues.

Client Manager, Karen Corbett’s son Zach and his team had a strong showing. After a narrow 8-point loss in their opening game, they bounced back to win their next four matches, securing third place in the A Grade U16 division through the round robin format.

It was a great way for Zach to cap off his final U16 tournament before stepping up to the U18s next season. Well done Zach and team!

 

BFA TTT Doubles Kicks Off Labour Weekend Disc Golf Action

Over Labour Weekend, BFA proudly sponsored the TTT Doubles Competition as part of the Taupō Thermal Throwdown, a PDGA-sanctioned disc golf tournament hosted by Taupō Disc Golf.

Held at Spa Park, the event attracted over 100 players, including a strong local presence and professional competitors from overseas. It was an epic weekend of disc golf, showcasing both the growth of the sport and the strength of the local scene.

Taupō Phoenix Rugby League Celebrate 21st Jubilee

We were proud to sponsor the 21st Jubilee celebrations for Taupō Phoenix Rugby League, held earlier this month.

A fantastic milestone for a club that has been a pillar of the Taupō sporting community for over two decades. A huge congratulations to the club from us here at BFA.

Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

The digital world is never static and neither are we.

And I say ‘we’ because I work with an awesome group of talented people who I gather together as required to complete a project.  Whatever your business, not-for-profit or individual needs are we gather the best team to get the job done.

Collaboratively we are creative, share sustainable values and work hard for great outcomes because that’s the buzz of satisfaction that drives us.

If you have an audience and market to reach, we can make that happen. Creative design, words that work and smart behind the scenes stuff that cuts through the online noise. We’ll design your website and then build it. We’ll manage the content as well as all your hosting needs. We can handle your online advertising so you get noticed,
and we’ll manage your social media presence so you get the clicks, likes and engagement to grow your business. All within the budget you set, because none of this needs to cost the earth.  And the job doesn’t stop when your website goes live. We are your virtual business partner.

https://www.korio.co.nz
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