Dannevirke: Fundraising off with a hiss and a roar

Dannevirke's Wayne Hermansen was one of the 300 riders and pillion passengers on 275 bikes who rode into Woodville for a lunch stop during the Woodville Lions Suzuki Coast-to-Coast ride from Himatangi Beach to Akitio Beach on Saturday. This, the 23rd annual ride, raised $8000 for the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter service.

As the Woodville Lions Coast-to-Coast motorcycle ride roared into Woodville on Saturday, there was a real international flavour, with participants from Australia and the United States determined to be back next year.

"We had 300 riders and pillion passengers on 275 bikes on the ride from Himatangi Beach on the west coast to Akitio Beach on the east coast and it went exceedingly well.

"The arrival into Woodville was spectacular," Woodville Lions spokesman Neil Candy told the Dannevirke News.

The annual event raises money for the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter and, this year, the 200km ride made its way through Foxton, Shannon, over the Pahiatua Track and through Ballance to arrive en masse behind the Woodville Christmas parade, before lunch in Fountaine Square then off to Akitio Beach.

"The riders hit the parade right on time. It was spot on," Mr Candy said.

"Three riders from Australia flew in Saturday morning and left again on Sunday. They came over just for the ride and were blown away by the experience.

"They said they'll be back again next year. We also had two Americans from Pittsburgh who were so impressed, they're coming back again too. They said our roads are magnificent to ride on."

There was good weather all the way for riders and, although numbers were down this year, mainly because of bad weather in Wellington, Mr Candy said the Woodville Lions were very pleased with how the event went.

"It was stinking hot at Akitio and, considering the weather had prevented riders from the Wellington area making the event, we still raised $8000 for the rescue helicopter service."