Jessica Turfrey (Jess) - Target Achieved! see updates

Hi again - Well I'm Jess. I am a 17yr old schoolgirl from sunny Hawke's Bay. I've been rowing for 4 years now and it's my life. A year ago, after a promising performance at the Nationals, I set my sights on representing New Zealand. Just over a year later I've achieved that goal but it hasn't been without a heck of a lot of hard work, long hours training, special diet and supplements. Mum and Dad have been my rocks - driving me to training at 4.30am and never once moaning about it. Now I've been selected in the team to represent NZ in Rotterdam they need to fund the trip. The overall cost is in excess of $10,000, with airfares and including the training camp in Cambridge, which I start in late April. Dad is a hard working caretaker at a low decile school in Hastings and Mum's a gardener. They are not wealthy people but do everything they can to support me in my sport and I am so grateful for that. Without them and the support both emotionally and financially I get from my extended family, I would not have been able to achieve what I have so far. So if you find my story interesting and are keen to support me then I will be forever grateful. I'm hoping this is the first step in my international career and I can assure you no-one will work harder than me to achieve my goal of making the NZ Senior Women's team to compete at Olympic level. So please dig deep if you can and help me get to Rotterdam in August. Mum and Dad won't be coming with me because the cost is simply too great, but if I can with your help, ease the financial burden this will make thing easier for them. I plan on studying Sports at Waikato University next year so will be living at the home of rowing; I believe this will help in my efforts to reach that Olympic Goal. Thanks for your time and consideration. Jess T :-)