We are incredibly proud to announce that Year 12 students Imogen Forrester and Eric Yan have qualified for the third and final stage in the search for Aotearoa’s top geographers – the New Zealand Geography Olympiad. Initially competing against over 170 students, Imogen and Eric have now been named among the top 11 geographers from across the motu. 

 

They have now been invited to participate in the Team Selection Day at Wellington East Girls’ College on Saturday 18 October 2025, where the top four will be selected. This team will go through to represent New Zealand in the International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) taking place in Istanbul, Türkiye, in August 2026. During the final selection round, students will be tested across several activities to assess their geographic skills and application of knowledge, including through written and multimedia tests and some practical fieldwork. 

 

Successful students will then need to commit to a nine-month self-directed learning programme from November 2025 to July 2026 in preparation for the final competition. The Olympiad team will then travel for 10-12 days, competing across six days against other top international geography teams. Competitors will gain the opportunity for global travel, cultural exchange and valuable preparation for their final examinations. 

 

Upon receiving the news of their invitation to the Team Selection Day, both Imogen and Eric reflected on the competition so far, their success, and what it would mean to them to make the top four:

 

“I've really enjoyed the competition so far, especially its focus on both local and global issues; it has allowed me to understand the issues we study in class from a different perspective. I feel that I've learnt more about how global issues are applied in a New Zealand context, which has deepened my understanding of them.

 

“To me, being selected as a top 11 student in New Zealand is an acknowledgement of my love for geography and an opportunity to meet like-minded peers. To make the top four team would be incredibly special, as it would give me the experience to deepen my understanding of the subject and inspire my little brother to compete in the olympiad when it's his turn!” says Imogen. 

 

“It's been quite interesting participating since this is the first time I've done a geography competition. There have been lots of scenarios where the topics went beyond what we've learnt in class, so of course, there were a lot of new things I was able to learn through this.

 

“I'm happy I got this opportunity to further develop my knowledge in this field. It would be incredible if I could make it to the top four, but a lot of preparation and work would need to be done, so it's not going to be easy,” says Eric.

 

We wish Imogen and Eric all the best for 18 October!