Cure Kids’ funding supports researchers whose work focuses on childhood cancers, inherited heart conditions, epilepsy, infectious diseases, cystic fibrosis, sudden unexpected death in infants (SUDI), stillbirth, burns as well as child and adolescent mental health – and many, many other areas of research. 

I will be riding to help children such as Ben who was diagnosed with Spina Bifida Myelomeningocele and Hydrocephalus at his Mum Catherine’s 20-week antenatal anatomy scan. Ben’s story  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYRDyiwJQSc&t=245s

The Tour Aotearoa is one of the world’s great self supported bike-packing trips stretching 3,000 km from Cape Reinga to Bluff it following a combination of cycle trails, tracks, paths and lanes connected by the most enjoyable country roads available. I work for QRIOUS (Spark Group), New Zealand’s largest data provider and the Tour Aotearoa has lots of data to be captured and analysed:

• 3000km of fun
• Total climbing/ descents 33,600m
• Total estimated calories burned 121,000
• Over 20 meat pies consumed,
• over 750,000  Strava GPS points
• 4 water crossing via boat,  
• 30 control photo points.
• >30kg fully packed steel mtb  and > 90kg rider
• Consuming > 135l of water and quite a few pies
• Hopefully the most important number for me over $3210 raised for Cure kids.

Real-time SPOT tracking will be available from 27^th of February 2022 and the tracker also has Personal Locator Beacon functions just in case of emergency. The event is not a race, but I need to ride self supported sleep at least 6 hours per day and take longer than 10 days( won’t be an issue) and less than 30 days with  more details on the adventure can be found here http://www.touraotearoa.nz/p/home.html

I started cycling in early 1980’s as a member of Lancaster cc in the North west of England both racing & riding the many bridal paths of the lake district and Yorkshire dales. After emigrating to NZ in 2010 I have ridden many of the fantastic trails along with cycling round lake Taupo many times. I was also part of the support crew for a Cure Kids adventure race team

After having 3 heart stents fitted in 2017 I had to slow down but upped the endurance including a 10 day ride on the Ho Chi Minh trail in Vietnam.

This year I purchased my 2^nd  hand steel surly Troll MTB which I will ride in the TA which when packed weighs over 40kg.

Before I start the ride I would like to thank to my wife Helen for her support during the training, Qrious/ Spark for letting me have the time off work,  everyone who has sponsored so far each £/$ makes a real difference, the TA FB forum for assistance and advice and Jonathan Kennett and brothers for work establishing the Tour Aotearoa trail in 2016.

More info on the ride can be found here http://www.touraotearoa.nz/p/home.html

Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/touraotearoa

The ride can be tracked in real-time via

https://touraotearoa2022.maprogress.com/

About Cure Kids

Cure Kids was established by Rotary in 1971 as the Child Health Research Foundation, and since then we have invested more than $55 million in research which has helped to shape and vastly improve the way children who live with serious diseases and health conditions are diagnosed and treated.

Cure Kids is the largest funder of child health research outside the government. We work hard to support the best research possible to make a measurable difference to the health and well-being of children in New Zealand. This is made possible by the continued generosity of individuals, businesses and community groups across our remarkable country.