Fonterra Wins 2007 Cure Kids Great Adventure Race

Fonterra Wins 2007 Cure Kids Great Adventure Race

March 30 2007: The crack Fonterra Flyers team made sure of a win in this year’s Cure Kids Great Adventure Race in the Waitakere Ranges today dominating the event from the outset to complete the challenging course in five hours.

Thirty four teams entered the race held for the fourth successive year to raise funds for medical research into children’s life threatening illnesses. The event raised over $500,000 with the champion fundraising title being awarded to Colliers International who raised $90,000.

The race started at 8.30 this morning at Huia with a coasteering section which had competitors wading waist deep in the sea, followed by a run/ trek to Lower Nihotupu Dam Road. The next mountain biking section went via old tram lines and tunnels to finish at Greenwoods Corner. A run/trek led back to Huia with a final coasteering section across Hinge Bay to the finish line.

Fonterra Flyers captain Simon Chisholm was pleased with his team’s performance after last year’s technical issue which disqualified the team, even though they were fastest across the line.

“It feels good to have completed the race properly this time,” he said. Fonterra Flyers crossed the line at 1.30pm.

There was a tight tussle for second and third with Kiwi Property Management Ltd’s Flying Kiwis team finishing runner –up at 2.06pm just two minutes ahead of Price Waterhouse Cooper’s team Lost in Transition.

Competitors enjoyed the course which took them through some spectacular country and Race Director Alan Nelson said he was pleased that so many of the teams responded to the demands of the course.

“There were definitely some difficult sections to the course and the most taxing part proved to be the descent from the Hamilton Saddle area, where a number of route choices saw competitors tested as to their assessment of the terrain. There were basically three different options confronting them.”

A popular competitor, Gerry Lynch, who has taken part in all four races raced this year in the Masterfoods team Team Snickers. He was in the Cadburys team which won the inaugural race and in the Fruccor Beverages’ winning teams in 2005 and 2006. His team was placed sixth this year and he said he enjoys returning each year for the challenge of the event but above all he ‘does it for the kids.’

“What we have to put up with for a short time is nothing to what many young children have to suffer every day of their lives.”

A South Island Cure Kids Great Adventure Race was held for the first time this year and in total the five adventure races to date, have raised more than $2m for research, since the inaugural event was held in 2004.

Cure Kids Business Development Manager Mandy Mee said it is an outstanding amount of money and it is being directed into crucial research to help prevent and hopefully cure children’s life threatening illnesses.

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