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Seven teams of adventurous New Zealanders will test their mettle when they embark on some world-firsts as part of Sport New Zealand’s (Sport NZ) Hillary Expeditions.

Their skills, courage, determination and physical boundaries will be pushed to the limit – all in a bid to achieve something special in the great outdoors and inspire other New Zealanders to do the same.

The latest Sport NZ Hillary Expedition Grants will help fund Kiwi adventurers in Antarctica, Denmark, Brazil, Peru and New Zealand.

All of the expeditions will involve world-class outdoor challenges and include:

• Paddling five class V rivers in Brazil that have never been descended before

• Multiple new canyon descents around the West Coast, Mackenzie Basin, Wilberforce Valley and Nelson Lakes

• Making a landmark ascent of Peru’s notoriously technical Mount Taulliraju’s West Ridge

• Establishing a new rock climbing route on the 313 metre-high sea stack known as Troll Finger (Trøllkonufingur) on the remote, sub-arctic Faroe Islands in Denmark.

• Running the full length of the South Island consecutively with a Snow Dog team

• Creating 30 new rock climbing routes in 30 days throughout West Coast’s Bullock Creek

• Skiing one of the world’s largest ice caps in the South Pole.

Commenting on the expeditions, Sport NZ Chief Executive Peter Miskimmin stated “we are an adventurous and pioneering nation with a strong culture of excellence in the outdoors, and these expeditions embody that spirit.”

Miskimmin says the Hillary Expedition Grants not only honour the way Sir Edmund Hillary inspired New Zealanders, but recognise the length outdoor adventurers go to in extreme environments to achieve their goals – an attitude worthy of support and admiration.

To qualify for a grant, expeditions might include any one, or a combination, of outdoor activities such as tramping, mountaineering, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, white water and/or sea kayaking, mountain biking and sailing.

Miskimmin adds “Kiwis set their sights high and these expeditions are a great example of that. Each person will need to be physically and mentally tough to succeed.

“They’ll need to plan well, yet be ready to deal with the unexpected.

“Most of these are world-first challenges and I hope that, like Sir Edmund Hillary, these adventurers go on to create their own inspiring stories for other New Zealanders to share.

Click here for information about all seven teams and their expeditions.

Click here for more info on the Hillary Expedition Grants.

The first expedition to kick off is Gradient and Water’s on 27th December 2014 in Brazil. 

Canyoning image included for illustrative purposes only. 

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