BRING IT ON: Kelly Bray (left) and Rebecca "Blue Bell" Winikerei meet for the first time in the countdown to their fight tonight. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
ROLLER Derby fanatic Rebecca "Blue Bell" Winikerei is the first to admit hitting somebody is something which goes against her personality.
"The cause [raising money for STAROS, a Hawke's Bay support group for people who have been affected by suicide] is the only reason I'm stepping into the ring," Winikerei said as she pondered her bout against Kelly Bray at tonight's Partners Life Hope 4 Whanau Fight Night at Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena.
"Both me and my partner have lost siblings through car accidents. Our parents are still suffering so it's easy to think about people who have lost family members through suicide. You always think what could I have done ... so what's a few minutes in the ring compared with what they are going through," Winikerei said.
A first-year roller derby skater for Bay City Rollers, Winikerei, 29, agreed the rough and tumble associated with that code has made her more confident to hit someone.
"But it's not normally something I would do."
She has spent the past three months training for the three two-minute round fight. Napier Boxing Club's Lotoi Leutele, a sister of Hawke's Bay's 2011 National Youth Super Heavyweight champion Kiki Toa Leutele has been her trainer.
Because Winikerei does shift work as a scanner for DG Glenn Logging she has only been able to train every second week.
"I know I'm 11 years younger than Kelly. With age comes experience so I'll be relying a lot on my support crew, my focus and my combos," Winikerei said.
Although the mother of one has played softball for the Napier Marist senior women's team for two-and-a-half seasons, Winikerei pointed out her boxing training has required much more commitment.
"This fight is definitely going to be a one-off. The training has taken a lot out of my life and when the sparring started I didn't realise how mentally and physically tiring it would be."
Like Winikerei, Hawke's Bay women's rugby administrator Bray, will be making her boxing debut tonight. She has also trained for three months but pointed out her box fit background and some boxing sessions with her Beast House trainer Shaun Rankin have prepared her well.
"The past 12 weeks have definitely been a step up to what I've done in the past. The sparring sessions have been a bit of a shock and I've also got some extra tips from kickboxer Andrew Banham at Jackals Gym," Bray explained.
"Like most people who take on these charity boxing bouts I've got two or three different combos I can rely on. But from what I gather these often go out the window when you step into the ring ... you just try and defend yourself and hit when you can. Hopefully my strong jab and all the bits of advice I've got from different people will pull me through."
A former manager of the Hawke's Bay Tuis and Hawke's Bay Secondary Schoolgirls rugby teams and a former Hawke's Bay touch player, Bray still manages the Napier Technical women's team she played for in the past. She won't lack support from current and former teammates.
However, her biggest form of encouragement is likely to come from one of her two children, 14-year-old kickboxer Jahna. Unlike many of the other 29 fighters who will step into the ring tonight who are mates of or know their opponents, Bray never met Winikerei until this week's photo shoot.
"It's quite nice not knowing who she is."
A Napier City Council projects administrator for the past 17 years, Bray, isn't concerned about the age difference between her and Winikerei.
"Sometimes I forget I'm 40. It isn't a biggie for me."
When Bray heard the cause for tonight's event she had no hesitation in accepting the challenge.
"While I personally haven't lost any family members to suicide there are so many friends and families who have. Every bit of money we raise for them will help," she added.
The card
Red corner/blue corner
Kelly Bray v Rebecca "Blue Bell" Winikerei
Heath Clark v Simon "The Ice Man" McFarland
Sarah "Killer" Smith v Gemma "Fighting Irish" Hyde
Shane Smith v Fiva Latu
Stacy "The Beast" Bateman v Aurora Akauola
Shane "Hong Kong" Lui v Ryan Van Zonneveld
Gina "Celtic Thunder" Graham v Cherylene "Chera Da Hero Hurae" Lawrence
Rakei Ngaia v Willie "The Terminator" Tran
George Diack v Leeroy Christison
Sharyn "The Shizzle" Scurr v Laura-Jayne Braithwaite
Allan "The Annihilator" Smith v Andrew "Squids" Urquhart
Lisa "Lethal" Longstaff v Georgia Kirby
Stacey "Mad Dog" Mizzi v Te "Mr T" Hunt
Gemma Woods v Osana Leutele
Tamati "Too Tense" Kemp v Kareem "The Dream" Johnson
Where to get help: Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7);¦ Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7); Youthline: 0800 376 633; Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7); Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm); Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7); Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155; Samaritans 0800 726 666; If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.