Injured war vets in gruelling bike race to Cape Reinga

Injured war veterans taking part in Operation Ride, seen here at their starting point in Bluff, are currently pedalling through Northland as their 2500km journey nears Cape Reinga. Photo / supplied

Eighteen injured war veterans from New Zealand, Canada and the UK are cycling through Northland as they near the end of a gruelling charity race from Bluff to Cape Reinga.

Participants in the 21-day, 2500km Operation Ride — including a double amputee from the conflict in Afghanistan — use custom-made tandem bikes with a hand-cycle crank at the front and a foot crank at the rear.

Yesterday's punishing route started in Whangārei, followed SH14 to Mangakahia Rd and turned off at Twin Bridges on to unsealed Waimatenui Rd, eventually rejoining SH14 for the tough climb through Waipoua Forest to Opononi.

Injured war veterans in training for Operation Ride, which is currently in Hokianga en route to Cape Reinga. Photo / supplied

Today they are being hosted by the Hokianga Memorial RSA and Matai Aranui Marae in Whirinaki for a culture day which will include a formal welcome and a speech by descendants of Captain Harding Leef, commanding officer of A Company of the 28th Māori Battalion.

RSA president Bill Rawiri said it was an honour to host the veterans, who would also take part in a parade marking the 70th anniversary of Whirinaki's cenotaph and be presented with carved greenstone taonga and framed Armistice coins.

The culture day had come about because one of the riders — David Benfell, a former member of the Royal NZ Infantry Regiment injured in a jump with the British Army's parachute regiment — had close family ties to Whirinaki through his mother, Eliza Pickering.

The group's other Kiwi veterans include Amy Baynes, who was injured in Afghanistan in 2004 and has since competed in the Invictus Games, and Dion Taka, also injured in Afghanistan.

Money raised by the Kiwi riders will go the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's Association of New Zealand, a charity set up by Benfell to support what he describes as the forgotten veterans of contemporary conflicts.

Baynes, who is leading the Kiwi contingent, said the aim of the event was to ''physically and mentally push our bodies to help encourage awareness that no matter what the injury, illness or ailment, we can do anything we put our mind to''.

After a hangi at Opononi this evening the riders will continue their ride to the Cape tomorrow morning.