SPONSORSHIP
Rescue Warriors exceed all expectations for a good cause When the Rescue Warriors set out on their 3000km cycling journey their goals were to complete the Tour Aotearoa Brevet in less than the required 30 days and to raise more than $25,000 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Trust. WORDS BY ANITA BODY, IMAGES SUPPLIED
It was an idea sparked by the challenge of proving their bodies were not quite ready for retirement, and as a way of supporting a cause they see as being vital to Cantabrians. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter provides a life preserving service which has touched many lives, including some members of the Rescue Warriors – Bruce Kell, Warren Harris, Willy Leferink and David Keeley. The Tour Aotearoa Brevet is a bike-packing event where riders are self-supported for the
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entire 3000km journey from Cape Reinga to Bluff. It is not a race but follows a set course with participants having to pass through 30 photo checkpoints, with the journey having to be completed between 10 and 30 days. Setting off from Cape Reinga at 7am on February 25, the Rescue Warriors began what they describe as a life changing journey. “I would certainly encourage others to do it,” says Bruce. “It would be one of the most beneficial things I have done.” It wasn’t without its low points—the biggest being when Warren had to pull out after eight days due to an on-going knee issue. “He knew it might be a problem, but it was still pretty disappointing after all of the training and planning,” says Bruce The remaining Rescue Warriors continued their journey, arriving in Bluff mid-afternoon on March 20, just 24 days since their early
morning start at Cape Reinga. “We had aimed for 25 days as our goal. The fantastic weather we experienced throughout the event certainly helped; it was so fine we just kept biking. It would have been totally different if we had wet weather every day.” The cyclists only once had to put their jackets on due to rain, and that was only for about an hour while cycling on the West Coast. Other highlights were the people and places they met and saw throughout the journey. “One of the biggest highs was the encouragement we received from Canterbury locals, especially along the way – that was much greater than we had thought it would be.” Knowing the event was selfsupported and they would be responsible for their own equipment (including tents throughout the North Island leg of the journey), meant they didn’t have an on-theground support crew to fall back on each day,
