Bikini-clad skiers? It's snow joke

Photo / Sarah Ivey

Bikinis were popular fashion items as North Islanders soaked up a stunning spring day yesterday - including more than 1600m up Mt Ruapehu for the running of the 2014 Turoa Bikini Downhill.

View: Bikini skiing for breast cancer

Image 1 of 10: 20-year-old Caroline Webb (L) and 21-year-old Sophie Whitfield at the Bikini Downhill challenge, to raise funds for The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The event attracted hundreds of competitors - some like Melita Woodfield, above, wearing bikinis, while others donned sarongs and a variety of pink clothing to raise money for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

Each run down Turoa cost $5 and the proceeds were donated to the foundation.

It was initially scheduled for last weekend, but was postponed until yesterday because of poor weather conditions.

Further north, bikinis and summer gear were also on show at Auckland's Mission Bay as sun worshippers flocked to the beach.

Yesterday also marked the first day lifeguards were on duty at the bay for spring and summer.

The good weather is forecast to continue for most of next week.

However, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research predicted possible El Nino conditions for October to December.

Typical traits are wet and cooler weather on the west coast of both islands and dry, warmer weather on the east coast.