Winning debut for Kaikohe

TUCKERED: Kaikohe firefighters Brendon Mayall (left) and Aaron Nepia catch their breath at the top of the Sky Tower.

A fundraising challenge that involves running up more than 1000 steps while breathing from an oxygen tank and weighed down with 25kg of gear is not for the faint hearted, but nor is success the sole preserve of those who have done it before and know what to expect.

Every year 750 firefighters from around the country take part in the Sky Tower Challenge, a fundraiser for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. They did it again on Saturday, this time the field including, for the first time, a crew from the Kaikohe Fire Brigade, which topped Northland's fundraising effort (with $18,513) and took home the award for best community spirit and effort.

Team captain Senior Firefighter Brendon Mayall said they were "blown away" by the win.

"It's a little town, but we had a lot of community support. It was amazing. People were really generous," he said.

The brigade was keen to take part again next year, and would come up with some fresh fundraising ideas. First, they would take a well-earned rest, however, after giving up almost every weekend over the past six months for training or fundraising.

Kaikohe's other team members were Aaron Nepia, Stephen Peers, siblings Lara and JJ Hastings, and Clinton Lyall. They trained for the climb by walking around Kaikohe in weight vests, climbing Te Ahuahu hill, and running up and down a flight of 82 steps near Opua wharf.

They raised money with raffles, donation buckets, auctions of a Warriors shirt and a helicopter ride, hay bale sales and a quiz night.

Meanwhile, the fastest firefighter up the tower was Josh Harrison (Otara), who completed the 51-storey climb in 8 min 34 sec. The fastest Northlander, and 11th fastest overall in the masters' division, was Jonny Greener (Paihia) with a time of 12 min 20 sec. The fastest Northland woman, for the second year in a row, was Tanya Bijl, also of Paihia, in 15 min 19 sec.

Northland results were as follows.

Fundraising (teams): Kaikohe (best in Northland, $18,513, Waipu $10,039, Kerikeri $6562, Paihia $5172, Refining NZ $4662, Kaiwaka $2701, Mangawhai $2625, Kawakawa $2335. Overall Auckland Airport Rescue topped the list with $101,153. Northland's top individual fundraiser was Tony Scott (Pakaraka, who works for Auckland Airport Rescue), who collected $16,650. Aaron Nepia (Kaikohe) raised $3331.

BEST TIMES

Teams: Kerikeri placed 18th, Paihia 23rd, Whangarei 24th. Auckland Airport Rescue was fastest overall.

Individuals:

Donned and started, male, open: Paul Austin, Refining NZ, 13m 14s, 40th; Karl Kitchen, Whangarei, 13m 35s, 52; Oscar Channings, Ruakaka, 13m 47s; Steven Mortensen, Kerikeri, 13m 53s, 57th; Glen Scott, Kerikeri, 13m 54s, 60th; Tyler McEnanay, Mangawhai, 14m 35s, 80th; Jake Pattinson, Paihia, 15m 10s, 100th; Chris Newson, Whangarei, 15m 12s, 102nd; Aden Shirley, Mangawhai, 16m 07s, 136th; Dylan Api, Ruakaka, 16m 15s, 140th; Aaron McAulay, Waipu, 18m 34s, 208th; Roger Dephoff, Kawakawa, 20m 58s, 244th; Connor Taylor, Kerikeri, 24m 34s, 264th; Harry West, Kerikeri, 25m 43s, 268th; Blair Cullen, Waipu, 28m 06s, 272nd; Matt Strong, Mangawhai, 28m 37s, 273rd; Tawai Aperahama, Kawakawa, 38m 54s, 277th.

Masters: Jonny Greener, Paihia, 12m 20s, 11th; Scott Kitchen, Whangarei, 13m 46s, 28th; Wayne Flood, Paihia, 14m 39s, 37th; Clinton Lyall, Kaikohe, 16m 27s, 72nd; Tony Mayo, Waipu, 16m 33s, 75th; Hughie Blues, Paihia, 17m 15s, 93rd; Scott Coutts, Whangarei, 17m 21s, 96th; Kelly Wahanui, Kamo, 17m 46s, 102nd.

Grand masters: Wayne Timson, Kerikeri, 13m 23s, 6th; Kevin Graham, Kerikeri, 16m 55s, 31st; Charles Le Couteur, Kerikeri, 18m 45s, 40th.

Supreme Masters: Brian Clancey, Onerahi, 17m 53s, 4th.

Donned and started, female, open: Tanya Bijl, Paihia, 15m 19s, 3rd; Laura Andrews, Waipu, 16m, 5th; Janine Roberts, Waipu, 28m 18s, 39th.

Donned, male, open: Alex van Beek, NZ Refining, 14m 11s, 14th; John Hastings, Kaikohe, 16m 04s, 25th; Brendon Mayall, Kaikohe, 18m 22s, 43rd; Aaron Nepia, Kaikohe, 20m 01s, 52nd. Masters: Mickey Renton, Kaiwaka, 23m 23s, 35th; Kraig Steiner, Kaiwaka, 23m 54s, 37th; Tim Brown, Kaiwaka, 24m 26s, 38th; Stephen Peers, Kaikohe, 26m 49s, 41st.

Supreme masters: Mike Law, Kaiwaka, 24m 52s, 4th.

Donned, female, open: Lara Hastings, Kaikohe, 19m 41s, 8th; Kahlia Scott, Kawakawa, 35m 10s, 19th. Masters: Joan Natanahira, Ahipara, 29m 47s, 5th.