MPs, Mayors Mix with Bike Riding Kiwis in Ride for Charity
7 February 2014
For immediate release from the BDO Wellington to Auckland Cycle Challenge – for further information visit www.dynamoevents.co.nz
NORTH ISLAND
BIKE RIDE ATTRACTS CROSS SECTION OF ‘REAL’
NZ
This Sunday at 8.00am over 150 bike riders
will gather at Lower Hutt Town Hall with a 7 day journey of
close to 900km journey stretching out before them, one that
will take them through stunning countryside on some of the
less travelled roads of the North Island.
Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown will officially start the 2014 BDO Challenge with a drop of the starter’s flag while both sides of Parliament will be represented in the first stage. Brett Hudson (National Electorate Chair) and Trevor Mallard (Labour MP for Hutt South and former Sports Minister) will ride to the summit of the Rimutaka’s alongside other participants.
Parliamentary representation will not stop there though, with the following MP’s signing up to do their bit for the ride and the official charity Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand as each rides one stage on the BDO Challenge (stage start times at the end of this release).
Wed 12th Feb, Wanganui to Kakatahi: Andrew
Little Labour MP for New Plymouth
Sat 15th Feb, Hamilton
to Glen Murray: Tim MacIndoe National MP Hamilton West and
David Bennett National MP for Hamilton East
Sat 15th Feb,
Glen Murray to Pukekohe: Simon O’Connor National MP for
East Tamaki
The brainchild for former Olympic and Commonwealth cyclist Stephen Cox and his Dynamo Events team, the BDO Wellington to Auckland Cycle Challenge is not an elite event; it is an opportunity for people from all backgrounds and all walks of life to share their passion of bike riding.
Pharmacists, retirees, company owners, school teachers, broadcasters, goat farmers, construction workers – you name it and they will be there rubbing shoulders and sharing stories on the road as they follow a path once taken by the very best in the world in the days of the famous Dulux Tour.
And they will do so with a shared cause in mind, raising money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ), the official charity of the BDO Wellington to Auckland Challenge. Many riders have set up fund raising pages and enlisted the support of family, friends and work colleagues with donations.
MSNZ National Coordinator Amanda Keefe says participants in the 2014 BDO Challenge will be directly helping the more than 3000 New Zealanders diagnosed with the condition, as well as their families and carers.
“While scientists continue to search for a cure funds received through the generosity of this year’s participants and supporters will go a long way to help us provide the best support education and information to help those touched by the condition.”
Each stage will be
officially started by a representative of the local council
with the following confirmed:
Sunday 9th Feb: Wellington
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown
Monday 10th Feb: Masterton Mayor
Lyn Patterson
Tuesday 11th Feb: Palmerston North Mayor
Jono Nolor
Wednesday 12th Feb: Wanganui Mayor Annette
Main
Thursday 13th Feb: Ohakune Mayor Don Cameron (also
riding)
Friday 14th Feb: Taupo Mayor David
Trewavas
The 150 plus field will feature amongst
others:
Fiona Southorn –
Whangarei. A New Zealand paralympic star, the
Whangarei cyclist has won medals at Para World Championships
and medalled at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. Southorn
will ride in the colours of event sponsor BDO, taking on the
BDO Challenge for the second year running after enjoying it
so much last year.
Lyn and Shane Brown –
Eketahuna. Shane first rode the BDO in 2011 with
his brother and another group of friends and thoroughly
enjoyed it. Wife Lyn has been thinking about doing the ride
and last year she started to say she wouldn’t mind to give
it a go. Shane and Lyn picked up cycling about 6 or 7 years
ago. Lyn’s goal is to complete the ride. The couple have
trained together and have been training solidly since mid
September.
Doug Haines – Wellington.
Doug is a Director of BDO and a keen cyclist. One of the
instigators in BDO’s sponsorship of the event, Doug has
another good reason for riding this year – his mother
passed away at a young age from MS. Doug is proud to be
riding with the BDO logo on and walking the walk as far as
the sponsor is concerned but is also doing this one for the
memory of his mum.
Phil Clapham
– Timaru. Phil is typical of the
participants on the BDO Wellington to Auckland Challenge, he
is nothing special, just an ordinary Kiwi doing an
extraordinary thing in riding up the North Island. And
what’s more, Phil is from Timaru! A dairy goat farmer by
day and sometimes cyclist, 64 year old Phil was one of the
great characters on the BDO last year and is back for
another go.
Ray Hyndman –
Lower Hutt. Ray is a 79 year old retiree
from Lower Hutt so might do it tougher than most, with each
push of the pedals riding further away from home throughout
the week! Ray loves cycling and has ridden in organised and
solo tours in Spain, China, Australia, Vietnam and various
tours in New Zealand.
Andrew Dewhurst
– Auckland. Broadcaster and company
director Andrew Dewhurst will ride his second BDO Challenge,
returning after describing last year as a ‘life
changing’ experience. Andrew will post daily blogs from
the BDO and on Friday make the drive to Auckland after stage
11 into Te Awamutu to act as game night MC at the SKYCITY
Breakers before driving back to Hamilton to complete the BDO
the next morning.
BDO Corporate Challenge with
$100,000 Prize!
This year will also feature for
the first time the BDO Corporate Challenge. Corporate teams
are racing for a total prize valued at $100,000 but the
prize does not go to them, the winning team will donate the
prize package to a charity of their choice.
Inspired by
BDO and event owner Dynamo Events, the BDO Corporate
Challenge prize includes:
• Cash
•
Accountancy services
• The use of a Ford car
for a year
• Advertising and legal
services
The BDO Wellington to
Auckland
Schedule
Sunday 9 Feb
Stage 1
8.30am Lower Hutt to the summit of the Rimutaka
Hill
Stage 2 Midday Ride through the Wairarapa
from Featherston to Masterton
Monday 10 Feb
Stage 3
8.30am Masterton to Paihiatua
Stage 4 1.00pm
Paihiatua to Palmerston North
Tuesday 11 Feb
Stage 5
8.00am Palmerston North to Hunterville
Stage 6
12.45pm Hunterville to Wanganui
Wednesday 12
Feb
Stage 7 8.30am Wanganui to Kakatahi
Stage 8
12.15pm Kakatahi to Ohakune, via famous Fields
Track
Thursday 13 Feb
Stage 9 8.00am Ohakune to
Turangi
Stage 10 1.00pm Turangi to Taupo
Friday 14
Feb
Stage 11 8.00am Taupo to Te Awamutu
Saturday
15 Feb
Stage 12 8.00am Hamilton to Glen
Murray
Stage 13 12.45pm Glen Murray to
Pukekohe
ENDS