Months of planning and thousands of kilometres of cycle training proved successful as Mid Canterbury’s Rescue Warriors finished a lifesaving, across-country journey.
The Rescue Warriors is a group of Mid Canterbury blokes, aged 59 to 74, biking the length of New Zealand to raise money to support Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust’s Mission 2026.
The amount raised will be revealed at a special function in May.
The Rescue Warriors were split into two teams – Team Live which went Cape Reinga to Bluff on electric bikes, and Team Muscle which went Bluff to Cape Reinga on push bikes.
Beginning February 10, Team Live arrived at Bluff on Sunday, while Team Muscle arrived at Cape Reinga late last week.
The weather was mostly good, but variable. Bikes have needed repairs, and in the north, Mark Cressey had to withdraw due to a cycling accident which put him in hospital with facial injuries.
Team Live member Bruce Kell said everyone was now ‘‘a bit weary’’, but on cloud nine, including Cressey who was at the finish line to welcome his fellow team members.
‘‘Doing 3000km in 27 consecutive days, it’s a big ask. They need to be proud of what they have done,’’ Kell said.
‘‘Sunday was probably our coldest and wettest day coming in to Bluff. But we had three days of good tail winds before that. You are never going to get it dead right,’’ he said.
‘‘You just keep riding, aiming for that destination.’’
He and Cressey’s fellow Team Live members were Warren Harris, Bryan Beeston, David Pedersen, Richard Andrews, Duncan Barr, Brian Ellis, international rider Rigby Wason, and Graham Thomas. Team Muscle were David Keeley, Willy Leferink, Mark Holmes and Paul Brake.
Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust acting chief executive officer Murray Willocks said in a statement the organisation was ‘‘incredibly proud’’ of the Rescue Warriors’ achievements.
‘‘Completing the immense physical challenge of biking the length of New Zealand is extraordinary, but even more remarkable is the role they’ve played in helping us transform the rescue helicopter service across Canterbury and the West Coast,’’ Willocks said.
‘‘Having the Rescue Warriors stand alongside us throughout this campaign (Mission 2026) has been nothing short of incredible.’’ .
