A total of $90,000 is going towards melanoma research following a 600 kilometre journey on jet skis.

Leading the field was Don Chapman, who with the help of sponsors raised $18,480 for melanoma research.

Terry Boubee (Laser Electrical, Morrinsville left) and Don Chapman of Chapman Dairy looked out for each other on the water during the Ski-nZ challenge.

His Team Piako recorded the second highest total of sponsorship in the 2014 Yamaha Melanoma Foundation Ski-nZ challenge, which ended on Saturday.

Together with 24 other competitors in the event, the well-known Morrinsville designer and builder of dairy parlours, raised a total of $90,000 for melanoma research.

'At the beginning of the run I got the prestigious No.1 for my ski. However, the addition of the auction night earnings changed the final order around a little,” says Don.

'While for me it was never about awards, I think everyone who supported the Melanoma Foundation with donations against my name can take great pride in how much we raised. It reflects very well on them individually, and as the majority of those donations came from our local community it reflects very well on the community in general. Particularly when you consider I was a one rider team, and the winners were a two rider team.”

Team Spray Tech Farnell Racing, Callum Farnell and Peter Whale of Silverdale, took the top honour raising $21,980.

Don and his support crew, including wife Yvonne, thoroughly enjoyed the event. Riders completed all but the final leg, which was to cross Cooks Straight on Saturday, but bad weather put paid to that. Don says the real aim was to assist in melanoma research and that goal was more than achieved.

'Two representatives of the Melanoma Foundation accompanied us throughout the event. I got to know them quite well over the course of the week, they are extremely grateful for the donations. I obviously want to thank everyone for their donations, but also the many messages of support I received during the event.

'I also want to thank my road crew, my wife Yvonne and our friend Jill Philps. Also support from Brian and Sheryll Gordon who accompanied us during parts of the adventure. I could not have done this without the help of these people.”

Yvonne says the fund raising didn't stop when Ski-nZ finished.

'We had people on the ferry and even in cafes, give us spontaneous donations when we told them what we were doing.”

Jet skiing through some of the most beautiful parts of the country, being joined by dolphins and the companionship of those on the challenge, made for an enjoyable week, says Don.

To find out more about Melanoma go to www.melanoma.org.nz

Dolphins joined Don Chapman when he took part in one of the legs of in Ski-nZ.

D'Urville Island was among the locations visited by entrants in Ski-nZ.