Reaching for the sky for a cause

Sandra Bogart with Waipu firefighters Janine Roberts (left) and Laura Andrews when they visited her in Auckland Hospital ahead of Saturday's Sky Tower Challenge. Photo / Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ

A fundraising challenge which involved running up more than 1100 steps while breathing from an oxygen tank and weighed down with 25kg of gear proved as emotional as it was physical for some Northland firefighters.

Each year 750 firefighters take part in the Sky Tower Challenge, a fundraiser for Luekaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.

It had extra meaning for the volunteers of the Waipu Fire Brigade this year because two members of their own community have been struck down with luekaemia.

As the firefighters struggled up the tower they didn't wear their hearts on their sleeves but photos of Sandra Bogart, who is currently in Auckland Hospital undergoing intensive chemotherapy, and 5-year-old Barclay Morunga.

It was also emotional for the Kaikohe Fire Brigade which entered for the first time this year, but topped Northland's fundraising efforts and took home the award for best community spirit.

Waipu firefighter Laura Andrews said it was her third year competing in the climb and the brigade's tenth, "but this time we had a really personal reason to get behind it."

Six firefighters took part in the climb but fundraising was a whole-brigade effort, she said.

Ms Andrews and fellow firefighter Janine Roberts visited Ms Bogart in hospital on Friday. The illness had taken its toll but Ms Bogart was still in high spirits and had lost none of her humour. She had managed to raise $1000 for the cause from her hospital bed.

"She's incredible. We found out three or four weeks ago that she had luekaemia, so I messaged her and said we'd like to dedicate our climb to her. She's such a big part of our community."

Ms Bogart was still emotional about the brigade's decision to dedicate the climb to her. Because flowers were banned from the ward she had asked her friends to donate any money they would have spent on blooms.

All patients in her room cheered loudly when they heard the challenge had raised more than $1 million, she said.

Ms Bogart, an Advocate columnist for Bream Bay, said the first she heard of the Sky Tower Challenge was when she wrote a story about the Waipu brigade's fundraising efforts in 2008.

"And now they're doing it for me," she said.

Young Barclay, meanwhile, got a first-hand look at the action, and a peek behind the scenes, when he visited the Sky Tower on Saturday.

Mum Nicole Andrews said he was the centre of attention.

"He was pretty spoiled. Everyone knew who he was. It was nice to go down there amd support the people who are supporting us," she said.

The Kaikohe Fire Brigade raised $18,513, the most of any Northland brigade, despite taking part for first time. They also took home the Outstanding Community Award which recognises community spirit and effort.

The fastest firefighter up the tower was Josh Harrison of Otara, who completed the 51-storey climb in 8 min 34 sec.

The fastest Northlander, and 11th fastest overall in the masters division, was Jonny Greener of Paihia Fire Brigade with a time of 12 min 20 sec. The fastest Northland woman, for the second year in a row, was Tanya Bijl, also of Paihia, in 15 min 19 sec. She was third overall in the open division.

NORTHLAND RESULTS

TOP FUNDRAISERS

Teams: Kaikohe was the top brigade in Northland for fundraising with a whopping $18,513. They were followed by Waipu ($10,039), Kerikeri ($6562), Paihia ($5172), Refining NZ ($4662), Kaiwaka ($2701), Mangawhai ($2625), and Kawakawa ($2335). Overall Auckland Airport Rescue topped the list with $101,153.

Individuals: Northland's top individual fundraiser was Tony Scott of Pakaraka, who collected $16,650. Tony works for Auckland Airport Rescue. Aaron Nepia of Kaikohe raised $3331.

BEST TIMES

Teams

Kerikeri placed 18th with Paihia 23rd and Whangarei 24th. Auckland Airport Rescue was fastest overall.

Individuals

Donned and started*, male, open: Paul Austin, Refining NZ, 40th place, 13m14s; Karl Kitchen, Whangarei, 52nd, 13m35s; Oscar Channings, Ruakaka, 13m47s; Steven Mortensen, Kerikeri, 59th, 13m53s; Glen Scott, Kerikeri, 60th, 13m54s; Tyler McEnanay, Mangawhai, 80th, 14m35s; Jake Pattinson, Paihia, 100th, 15m10s; Chris Newson, Whangarei, 102nd, 15m12s; Aden Shirley, Mangawhai, 136th, 16m07s; Dylan Api, Ruakaka, 140th, 16m15s; Aaron McAulay, Waipu, 208th, 18m34s; Roger Dephoff, Kawakawa, 244th, 20m58s; Connor Taylor, Kerikeri, 264th, 24m34s; Harry West, Kerikeri, 268th, 25m43s; Blair Cullen, Waipu, 272nd, 28m06s; Matt Strong, Mangawhai, 273rd, 28m37s; Tawai Aperahama, Kawakawa, 277th, 38m54s. Masters: Jonny Greener, Paihia, 11th, 12m20s; Scott Kitchen, Whangarei, 28th, 13m46s; Wayne Flood, Paihia, 37th, 14m39s; Clinton Lyall, Kaikohe, 72nd, 16m27s; Tony Mayo, Waipu, 75th, 16m33s; Hughie Blues, Paihia, 93rd, 17m15s; Scott Coutts, Whangarei, 96th, 17m21s; Kelly Wahanui, Kamo, 102nd, 17m46s. Grand masters: Wayne Timson, Kerikeri, 6th, 13m23s; Kevin Graham, Kerikeri, 31st, 16m55s; Charles Le Couteur, Kerikeri, 40th, 18m45s. Supreme Masters: Brian Clancey, Onerahi, 4th, 17m53s.

Donned and started, female, open: Tanya Bijl, Paihia, 3rd, 15m19s; Laura Andrews, Waipu, 5th, 16m; Janine Roberts, Waipu, 39th, 28m18s.

Donned, male, open: Alex van Beek, NZ Refining, 14th, 14m11s; John Hastings, Kaikohe, 25th, 16m04s; Brendon Mayall, Kaikohe, 43rd, 18m22s; Aaron Nepia, Kaikohe, 52nd, 20m01s. Masters: Mickey Renton, Kaiwaka, 35th, 23m23s; Kraig Steiner, Kaiwaka, 37th, 23m54s; Tim Brown, Kaiwaka, 38th, 24m26s; Stephen Peers, Kaikohe, 41st, 26m49s. Supreme masters: Mike Law, Kaiwaka, 4th, 24m52s.

Donned, female, open: Lara Hastings, Kaikohe, 8th, 19m41s; Kahlia Scott, Kawakawa, 19th, 35m10s. Masters: Joan Natanahira, Ahipara, 5th, 29m47s.

* Donned and started means carrying and breathing through a 25kg breathing apparatus. Donned means carrying a breathing apparatus but breathing nornally.