Nick Meyer, along with five other workmates, embraced his inner woman at the Go Waihī Warm Up Party, and ran like the wind to beat the rest of the drag queens at the popular drag race.
Meyer, a geologist with Oceana Gold, saysall the new guys at work have to take part in the annual race.
They even have a cupboard dedicated to wigs, skirts and all things fair for the occasion. They really go all out, he says.
Their team pounded the mainstreet in the relay-activity - which involves hula-hoops and came a proud second (the other Oceana Gold team took out the top spot).
The gorgeous Waihi Beach Harley Angels. From left is Terry Norton, Murray Upton and Twitch Norton.
The Warm Up Party is the biggest event on the Waihī calendar. An estimated 15,000 flocked to Waihī yesterday for the 11th event, which is the precursor to the Repco Beach Hop festival and rock and roll extravaganza over the following four days.
Go Waihī chairperson Kerry Single said the warm up would probably bring in a massive spend into the Hauraki district of about $300,000-$500,000 which is a real bonus to the town.
''The visitors not only bring money into Waihī but they also stop in Hauraki district on the way through, Ngatea, and Paeroa are rest stops before coming into Waihī.
''While here visitors not only look at the fantastic display of cars but also take a bit of time to see the other things that Waihī has to offer, like the Waihī Museum with its great display of the early days in and around Waihī, the Goldfields Railway, the Discovery Centre, the great walks we have around the Open Mine. The Hauraki Rail Trail starts and ends in Waihi, it's also the best way to the east coast of the Coromandel from this southern end through Waihī.''
About 700 cars and their proud owners came for the party which included live bands and market stalls.
The annual warm up to the Beach Hop day in Waihī usually brings in between 12,500 and 15,000 people to the town and costs between $12,000-$15,000 to host, Single said.
