Waihi Mines Rescue Team wins Sky Tower challenge

Mines rescue teams at the Sky Tower challenge. Photo / Supplied

The Mines Rescue Team from Waihi took first place in the recent Sky Tower Challenge for teams of six to nine firefighters, raising just over $35,000 in sponsorship.

The Sky Tower Challenge is held each year to raise funds for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. This year over $1.2 million was raised by about 900 firefighters from throughout New Zealand who climbed the Sky Tower. The event was postponed in May due to Covid.

Waihi Gold team members climbed the 1103 steps of the Sky Tower carrying 25kg of kit. The fastest climbers can reach the top in about 10 minutes.

Shay Perkinson from the Waihi Mines Rescue Team says it's not about the time.

The team raised over $35,000 in sponsorship. Photo / Supplied

"To be in Mines Rescue you have to be fit, and while we will always challenge each other to do our best; for us it's not about being fastest, it's about getting the team to the top, and raising money for a really worthwhile cause. Everybody knows somebody, or knows somebody who knows somebody who has cancer. This is our chance to give back."

Jed Moriarty, one of the fastest climbers, agrees. He says the team is "standing on the shoulders of the community".

"For us it's not about being fastest, it's about getting the team to the top, and raising money for a really worthwhile cause." Photo /Supplied

"We can train and do the climb on the day, but we succeed because the Waihi community gets in behind us. We have a small group of major sponsors who are always incredibly generous, but a lot of the funds raised come in small amounts from our community. We really couldn't do this without the people of Waihi behind us."

OceanaGold acting general manager Justin Johns attended his first Sky Tower Challenge. "I am impressed by the teamwork and commitment for the cause; it's an amazing fundraising event helping others. We should all be very proud of what the Waihi team and our teammates from the South Island have achieved."

The fastest climbers can reach the top in about 10 minutes. Photo / Supplied

The team from OceanaGold's Macraes mine in Otago gained second place in the 10-plus team members category, having raised over $29,500 making OceanaGold employees one of the biggest contributors to the event.

Next year's event will be held on Saturday, May 20. Jed says the training will be starting soon.

The Sky Tower.

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