Cycling: Matheson to lead BikeNZ

Andrew Matheson will take charge of a BikeNZ programme that enjoyed great success at the recent world champs. Photo / Getty

One of this country's leaders in high performance sport will take a new direction as BikeNZ's chief executive officer.

Andrew Matheson, currently general manager performance and strategic investment for High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ), will take up the position which has been filled by interim CEO Brian Broad for the past nine months.

BikeNZ, the umbrella organisation overseeing all national bike and cycling organisations, is set to embark on a centralised base for its administration, cycling development and high performance at the new Avantidrome in Cambridge.

Matheson, a former retail brand manager, became the high performance manager for Rowing New Zealand for six years, including the Athens and Beijing Olympic campaigns. He became high performance director for Rowing Australia and the Australian institute of Sport for four years before moving back to New Zealand in late 2012 to take up his current role with HPSNZ. He was also a former New Zealand rowing representative.

Matheson has had close working relationships with BikeNZ's high performance operation over the past 18 months and, through this, has gained an insight into the cycling development side of the business.

"We believe Andrew's proven leadership track record across a variety of national sporting organisations leaves him well placed to continue building on Bike NZ's many successes in recent years,'' BikeNZ chairman Richard Leggat said.

"As we move BikeNZ to the Avantidrome in Cambridge, Andrew will be focussed on bringing the various elements of the sport together under one roof whilst driving the delivery of our three year strategic plan.

"Our high performance arm is well placed to challenge for medals this year [at the Commonwealth Games] in Glasgow, and looking forward to the Rio Olympics and beyond.

"Our sport on a day-to-day basis faces challenges and a key part of Andrew's role will be to work with our member organisations in mountain bike, BMX, Bike & Road and Schools which all have unique and individual needs and wants.''

New Zealand won five medals at the recent track cycling world championships in Colombia, including gold in the team sprint.

Matheson will take up his new role on May 12.