Cure Kids Great Adventure Race Raises Over $620k

Cure Kids Great Adventure Race Raises Over $620,000

Top honours in the 2006 Cure Kids Adventure Race on March 31 went to Frucor Beverages when their two entries, Frucor Flintstones and Mizone Muppets crossed the line at Bethells Beach in the Waitakere Ranges together, successfully defending their 2005 titles.

The corporate multisport race attracted 44 teams representing 23 companies and more than $620,000 was raised for Cure Kids for medical research into children’s life threatening illnesses.

Last year Frucor Flintstones won with Mizone Muppets taking second place, and this year it was an appropriate finish for the two teams, who have spent several months training together in the build up to the race.

Spokesman Gerry Lynch who has been a member of the winning team at all three Cure Kids Great Adventure Races was ecstatic about their victory.

“We were moving together for much of the race, got split up then came back together and it was fantastic to finish as one team.”

He says of three courses this year’s was the toughest.

“Not only physically but also technically. In terms of where you could go wrong it was a tough course.”

The Frucor teams took 7hours 52minutes to complete the course.

Fonterra Flyers, which was a new team to the event this year and had a strong racing pedigree, was the fastest overall on the course completing it in 7h 18m. However due to a failure to record a password at an umanned checkpoint they became unranked.

“It was unfortunate but that’s the rules,” says Race Director Alan Nelson. “They were putting on a fantastic physical performance and decided to continue on unranked because they were enjoying the race so much.”

The third team prize went to Pfizer New Zealand’s Thunderbirds Are Go team who completed the course in 9h 45m.

The Informal Corporate Division was won by the Nestle team, Team Nescafe, who clocked 9h 27m.

The 38 kilometre course involved coasteering, running, trekking and mountainbiking.

It began at Bethells Beach Reserve with a coasteering section down Bethells Beach and around Raeakiaki Point to Wigmore Bay. From there the course followed the gut at the end of Wigmore Bay, then on a route south along the clifftops and into Cannibal Creek, and on to Parehoa Bay. From here teams made their way past Lake Kawaupaka and back to Bethells Beach Reserve to the transition area.

A long and gruelling offroad mountainbiking section up an old 4WD road and along the Whatitiri Track to Cascades was followed by a run/ trek via Anawhata Stream, Kuataika Track Junction and Wainamu Stream to the finish line at Bethells Beach Reserve.

Mr Nelson says the course was designed this year to challenge the experienced teams as well as the first time teams.

“We took the race to a new level this year with navigational challenges in particular testing many teams. The course also presented the greatest variety in three years highlighting the range of terrain available in the Waitakere Ranges. We had a lot of co-operation from local authorities and private landowners which helped us create such an interesting course.”

He paid tribute to the volunteer support of Search and Rescue who ensured the safety of the competitors throughout the event. In total there were 80 volunteers on the course including St John Ambulance staff and a medical response team.

Funds raised at the event totalled more than $620,000 eclipsing last year’s total of $485,000.

Cure Kids Business Development Director Mandy Mee says it is an outstanding result.

“We are overwhelmed and quite indebted to the huge effort made by all the companies involved. It is not only the competitors but all the support crews who make this event such a fantastic success.”

Colliers International was the top fundraiser for the event raising $100,118. Cadburys raised $60,000 and third place went to Microsoft which contributed $54,000.

ENDS

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