A timely Mauao challenge

Their friends and family think they're crazy, but the challenge of hiking up and down the Mount 38 times in 50 hours is just a step outside their comfort zone, according to one Tauranga group.

This afternoon, Trudy and Shaun McKenzie, Jo Amrein-Palairet and Tim Haig will take on the daunting task in the hope of raising vital funds for surf lifesaving.

Jo Amrein-Palairet, Trudy McKenzie, and Shaun McKenzie are preparing to tackle the Mount Everest Challenge in 50 hours. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Since February 13, Mauao's walking tracks have been overrun with people getting behind The Mount Everest challenge, with funds raised going to Mount Maunganui, Omanu, and Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Clubs to supporting the volunteer lifeguard services.

And this group are no different to anyone else taking on the challenge, whether they be conventional, or making the climb in full firefighter attire.

'Shaun, Jo and myself thought we better step it up a bit and do something a bit out of the ordinary –a challenge within a challenge,” says Trudy. 'It's a little bit daunting to think about it, but I think if we have prepared and trained for it, it will be achievable.”

Leading up to the 50-hour challenge, the group's been clocking up the kilometres with a number of trips up the Mount and the Papamoa Hills.

Shaun and Trudy have completed more than 50 ascents each so far since the challenge started, while Jo's completed 38.

'We [Trudy and Jo] head up the Mount at crazy hours, about 5am, and do a couple of trips in the morning before work at 7.30am. Then we might do some in the afternoons.”

Basing themselves at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, the group begin their lengthy ascent at 4pm today, with an estimated 6pm finish on Sunday.

The event is the brainchild of 93.4 MORE FM Tauranga, in collaboration with Surf Life Saving NZ Eastern Region, and More FM general manager Belinda says more than $64,000 has been raised ahead of the final walk on April 3.

It's estimated more than 600 people are participating, with 270 fundraising pages set up – many in teams of up to 25 people.

Adding to the final push, the police are coming in full uniform to do the challenge on Monday – with 38 officers doing it once each.

And while it is ‘heart-warming', the most important aspect for Belinda is that people put in the effort to raise funds.

'Just keep donating and donating,” she says. 'This is an amazing personal challenge but the whole goal of it is to raise those funds.

'They [the surf lifesavers] are blown away. I think they just keep looking at the total each day thinking ‘oh my gosh'.”

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3 comments

Great Stuff from our Police

Posted on 27-03-2015 10:54 | By carpedeum

Terrific extra effort by our great BOYS and GALS IN BLUE- thanks.


Heading is wrong

Posted on 27-03-2015 17:55 | By YOGI BEAR

The correct name is Mount Manuganui, not Mauao. The latter is meaningless


Correct Name..?

Posted on 28-03-2015 12:15 | By Turk 4

Hey Yogi Bear, best you learn to spell Mount Maunganui correctly before dissing Mauao !!


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