Former All Blacks Alastair Robinson, of Kerikeri, and Ian “Kamo Kid” Jones get paddling. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Former All Blacks Alastair Robinson, of Kerikeri, and Ian “Kamo Kid” Jones get paddling. Photo / Peter de Graaf
A group of former top athletes and other high-profile Kiwis are making their way through Northland on a 16-day triathlon bringing a message of hope to young New Zealanders struggling with mental health.
The Due Drop Hope Challenge aims to raise awareness of Gumboot Friday, an initiative founded by comedian turned mental health campaigner Mike King to fund counselling sessions for youth — especially in the often-neglected regions.
The crew, who are running, walking and cycling the length of the North Island, left Te Rerenga Wairua/Cape Rēinga on Tuesday, crossed the Bay of Islands on Wednesday, and are due at Marsden Cove on Thursday afternoon.
Everyone’s welcome to cheer their arrival between 4-5pm or join a community event at Land & Sea Cafe from 6.30pm.
Wednesday’s leg started with a waka ama paddle in squally conditions from Kerikeri Basin to Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
They then ran to Paihia and swam 3.5km across the channel to Russell, where they spent the night after speaking at a community event at the Duke of Marlborough.
King skipped the paddle but took part in the swim — a remarkable feat given that he could barely swim the length of a 25-metre pool one year ago.
Participants include former All Black Ian “Kamo Kid” Jones who described it as a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.
The aim was to raise awareness of King’s work and “let people understand there is help out there”.
“A triathlon the length of the North Island is just incredible when you think about it. The word we keep using is ‘epic’, but the greater cause is the great work Mike is doing, I’m in awe of what he’s done.”
Ngāti Rēhia kaitiaki Kipa Munro addresses participants in the Due Drop Hope triathlon challenge at the hapū’s whare waka (waka shelter), opposite Kerikeri’s Stone Store. Photo / Peter de Graaf
He was enjoying showing his mates around his home region, and the send-off at Cape Rēinga had been an emotional experience for all.
Jones said he’d had his own struggles after he returned to New Zealand at the end of his rugby career.
He found his way back through exercise — he was passionate about the link between physical and mental health — and the outdoors.
“This whole journey is about starting conversations. Just talking to each other makes worlds open up,” he said.
Former All Black Ian “Kamo Kid” Jones talks about the aims of the 16-day triathlon before paddling from Kerikeri to Waitangi. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The group was welcomed to Kerikeri on Wednesday morning by Bay of Islands hapū Ngāti Rēhia.
King told them his family came from Rāwhiti, east of Russell, where many of his ancestors were buried.
“So this is a really special place for me. This is my home, and I’m proud these guys get to share it for a day.”
The two waka leave Kerikeri Basin for the roughly 90-minute paddle to Waitangi. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Former world champion triathlete Rick Wells said he came up with the idea when he was “doing it hard” during lockdown.
“I thought if I was doing it hard mentally, there’d be people doing it a whole lot harder.”
First, he organised a 100km swim from Aotea/Great Barrier Island to Takapuna, which raised enough money to buy St John two four-wheel-drive ambulances.
That grew into a plan for a triathlon from Cape Rēinga to Wellington and prompted him to contact King to offer support for his Gumboot Friday and I Am Hope charities.
He hoped the event would help lift the stigma from talking about mental health.
“Talking is a great healer,” he said.
Wells said he had done many a triathlon before but never one that took 16 days or stretched the length of the island.
“But the pain and suffering that we’ll go through is minimal compared to what our youth go through.”
Treaty Grounds guide Mukai Hura welcomes the Due Drop Hope triathlon crew to Waitangi. Photo / Nineke Metz
Former NRL star Richie Barnett is also taking part in the challenge.
Barnett (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāi Takoto) spoke about how well his life was going until it was derailed by chronic fatigue syndrome 16 years ago.
“I went from being fit and athletic to wanting to stay in my room with the blinds down and not see anyone. I kept digging down and down... but I kept hope that one day I’d get out of that dark hole.”
Comedian turned mental health campaigner Mike King gets a selfie with his Ngāti Rēhia hosts. Photo / Peter de Graaf
During yesterday’s paddle, members of the Bay of Islands-based Kaihoe o Ngāti Rēhia waka ama club helped make up the numbers in the two six-seater canoes.
They included another former All Black, Alistair Robinson of Kerikeri.
Also taking part in the challenge is Karim Rostami, who fled Afghanistan as an 8-year-old and arrived in New Zealand as a refugee 10 years later.
Rostami contracted polio as a child and was not expected to walk again — but now he takes part in regular fitness fundraisers to share his gratitude for a second chance at life.
The Due Drop Hope Challenge was to have been held in February but was delayed by Cyclone Gabrielle. It is due to end on Parliament’s steps on April 26.
Renata Tane sends the paddlers on their way with a blast on a pūkaea. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Due Drop triathlon team members and their Ngāti Rēhia hosts pose for a pre-departure photo at Te Ahurea’s waka shelter in Kerikeri. Photo / Peter de Graaf
