Chrissie enjoys living in Mt Eden because of the Family orientated focus in the community, and with the beautiful One Tree Hill and Cornwall Park on her doorstep it offers fantastic recreational opportunities.
Chrissie Qualified as a General Obstetric Nurse in 1982 and has since worked in Hospitals, Rest Homes, and Clinics in Palmerston North, Nelson, Auckland and the UK.

Currently she is working for a group of Urologists in private practice doing clinic and theatre work and over the past 5 years has also been involved in research.
Chrissie became interested in Nordic walking after being introduced by a family member who recognized its benefits for a back injury. Although she is new to the sport Chrissie decided at her first taste that it was something she wanted to do more of, and to be able to offer it to others was an added bonus so decided to become a leader.

Qualifications:
NZ Registered General Obstetric Nurse 1982
British Nursing Council Registered Nurse 1983
Dale Carneigie Course and Team Leader 2001
Nordic Walking New Zealand Leader 2009

chrissie@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz

An avid outrigger canoe (waka ama) paddler, Christine was looking for a complementary fitness activity that:
- Was outdoors
- Could be done just about anywhere, anytime
- Exercised multiple muscle groups
- Enhanced cardio-vascular health
- Reduced strain on certain joints and muscles
- Was a great break from corporate stressors
The answer - Nordic Walking.

Taking like a "duck to water" to the sport, Christine decided to become a Leader so that she could share her love of the sport and the outdoors with like-minded people. She is particularly keen on taking walkers around the many magical trails of Parnell.

Christine is a transplanted Canadian whose work life centres around Corporate and Not-For-Profit governance, and consulting to large businesses on strategy, marketing and leadership.

christine@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz

mobile: (021) 496 332

Ewa, originally from Poland, came to NZ in pursuite of new challenges and adventure. Enthusiastic tramper and cyclist, she found nordic walking a fascinating activity which can be shared with people of different level of outdoor experience. 'Auckland parks and beaches are the ideal places for walking with the poles. The intensity of workout may vary from a gentle stroll to the heart pumping exercise. After long hours at the desktop there is no better way to clear mind and energise the body.

Ewa lives close to the Cornwall park, her favourite spot for nordic walking classes.

ewa@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz

mobile: (027) 247 2082

Looking for something more challenging than regular walking, Mary Anne discovered Nordic Walking when travelling through Switzerland in 2005.

Back in New Zealand and using her Nordic Walking poles on the beaches she had so many people ask what she was doing she decided to train as a Nordic Walking instructor.

Also a registered Personal Trainer, Mary Anne is passionate about encouraging people to become more active and to look after their health.
She leads walking groups at Takapuna and Kohimarama which are open and free to all who have completed an introductory course. Being a breast cancer survivor herself classes are free to those who have experienced breast cancer. Having used Nordic Walking to stretch and strengthen her upper body, Mary Anne now loves to fly on the flying trapeze!

Bachelor of Education
Diploma of Teaching
Personal Trainer - AUT - REPS Registered
Nordic Walking Instructor - NoWaNZ

maryanne@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz

Marilyn trained as a registered nurse in New Zealand and has worked in several countries. She has retired after 14 years as a public health nurse in New Zealand and is keen to start on a new journey with Nordic Walking.

Exercise has always played an important part of her life. She has run half marathons and was a black belt 3rd dan chief instructor in the martial art of Shaolin Kempo, She holds a black sash in Chen style Tai Chi and has studied the graceful art of Mulan fan dancing. Marilyn had surgery on her knee, and realized that age was (just !) starting to catch up with her. She saw an ad for Nordic Walking, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Confucius says "journey of 1000 miles starts with the first footstep" , so Marilyn is looking forward to meeting new friends and walking in a safe environment.

marilyn@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz

mobile (021) 752 556

NoWaNZ qualified Nordic Walking leaders in Auckland include Osteopaths Ann Sandnes and Nicole Hilton.

Osteopaths are primary health care practitioners that use osteopathic manipulative therapy to improve health and wellbeing. Osteopathic treatment targets musculoskeletal complaints and dysfunction by improving the alignment and motion of joints and their adjacent structures (muscles, ligaments, tendons) and therefore improves the efficiency of the musculoskeletal system, decreases the likelihood of injury, joint wear and tear, and disease.

Working in conjunction with their osteopathic practise in Takapuna, Ann and Nicole run Nordic walking classes on the North Shore. As osteopaths they see a wide range of people, and they believe that Nordic Walking is an excellent way for people to improve and maintain their levels of fitness, strength and flexibility.

ann@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz

phone: (09) 488 9310

In Hamilton you will find us often at the Lake

Margaret Thomson

Having spent a lot of years as a dentist, I decided that I would benefit from a change in direction. While pondering my future I kept coming back to working with people, and health and fitness, which have always been strong interests for me.

An article in a newspaper about Nordic Walking attracted my attention, primarily as a means of keeping my fitness while I visit family in Scotland. On reading more about the benefits of this sport and noticing how it, very quickly, was reducing tension in my neck and shoulders, I began to see how well it fitted with some other areas that I was considering as a new career.

Once I started Nordic Walking I was hooked and was keen to pass on the benefits to others. Hence I became a leader.

margaret@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz

I am a Health Care Assistant in Palmerston North, working both in the Residential and hospital wings of a Rest Home. I am married with one son and two grandsons.

I found Nordic Walking by reading about it in a magazine at the Doctors one day, then found several more articles. The more I read the more interested I became. I contacted Barbara and 3 of us went up to the Hawkes Bay and did a Starter Course. From there I have become more & more interested and can see many benefits for people of all ages, especially those who have injuries orneed stability when walking.

I am currently doing my Care of the Aged Certificate.

bev@nordicwalkingnz.co.nz