A Wellington team called Cool Runnings – named after the Jamaican bobsled movie – are ecstatic to cross the finish line as the fastest team at Oxfam Trailwalker, running the 100 kilometre trail in Taupo in just 12 hours and 41 minutes.
A Wellington team called Cool Runnings – named after the Jamaican bobsled movie – are ecstatic to cross the finish line as the fastest team at Oxfam Trailwalker, running the 100 kilometre trail in Taupo in just 12 hours and 41 minutes.
Brendan Mai, Dan Cullen, Mark Henwood and Matt Landreth planned to cover the trail in 18 hours but smashed their goal, along with raising $2500 to support Oxfam’s work in the developing world. Not only did they run the equivalent of 2.5 marathons off-road, they sped across the line in black, green and yellow lycra suits with a makeshift bobsled.
Team member Dan Cullen said, “We’re obviously thrilled that we finished first today, but this means so much more. It’s not just a race – we’ve helped people less fortunate than ourselves.”
Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand, Barry Coates, said, “Cool Runnings have done an amazing job. This has been the biggest and best Oxfam Trailwalker ever. There’s so much energy and enthusiasm all round, and as the team said, they feel so good knowing that people in poverty are better off.”
Oxfam Trailwalker is about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Participants have come from 47 cities and towns around New Zealand and as far as the UK, France, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, the US and Australia. The trail takes walkers through some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery, including Huka Falls, Spa Thermal Park, the Waikato river, native bush and the shores of Lake Taupo.
“Oxfam Trailwalker is a special event. It is not only a huge personal challenge, but it also challenges the assumption that we cannot make a real contribution to overcoming the scandal of poverty and injustice. We’re really grateful for all the participants and support crews for everything they do to enable Oxfam’s work,” said Coates.
A total of 294 teams set off early this morning. Most of them will continue walking all night, finishing by 7pm Sunday. Once the feet have recovered and the legs have revitalised, teams will continue to fundraise through the cut-off in June, supporting Oxfam’s humanitarian and long-term development work in some of the world’s poorest countries.
The top fundraising team for this year’s event is currently the Family Guys, who have already raised $11,527.90, with For the Love of the Green Track Suit close behind at $10,823.50. Total fundraising is now $785,000 and the goal is to raise $1 million in total. These vital funds help people around the world to overcome the injustice of poverty.
Throughout tomorrow evening, people can keep track of each team’s progress, make donations and follow the live blog at www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.nz.
