Spinning the wheels
Taupō’s major events often have spin-offs that extend far beyond the excitement of the big day itself. Taupō News profiles the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge and some of the community groups that benefit in a five-part series.
By Chris Marshall
Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge is a locally owned, not-for-profit Rotary event, with surpluses distributed back into the community via grants to community groups and organisations.
It also pays out tens of thousands of dollars in donations each year to local groups that help bring the event to life, in addition to $300,000 spent annually on local contractors and other suppliers.
The massive contribution made by more than 400 Contact Energy (Contact) volunteers each year, representing more than 30 different community organisations, sees each remunerated for their service as part of the event’s operational budget.
For some groups the cycle challenge is their most significant fundraising of the year.
While Contact has supported the event in various ways over the years, 2024 marked the first time the company directly sponsored the volunteers, including schools, charities, and sports clubs, resulting in more than $77,000 returned to the Taupō, Tūrangi, Marotiri and wider communities in the region.
A Contact spokesperson says the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge is a fantastic example of how sport, wellbeing, and community impact can come together, “and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”
Since 2011, 12 events have been held, with $1,044,219 fed back into communities across the Taupō District.
Benefits right around the lake
For Marotiri School principal Rose Symes, money raised by parents and students volunteering at the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge can go a long way to helping families pay for things like school camps.
“We tend to tag it to education outside the classroom.”
They can be a big cost as can expenses relating to digital devices.
“The school provides our devices but buying the platform has a cost to it too, so anything spare, that’s the other thing it goes towards.”
The school normally provides about 12-14 people for road marshalling and aid stations – keeping the cyclists happy with water, food and directions.
The volunteers enjoy participating, Symes says.
“The kids enjoy it, parents enjoy it and it's a good team builder as well.”
Each year they are asked to man spots on roads such as the Marotiri Rd/SH32 corner.
“The last couple of years we've had an aid station at Marotiri outside the school, too. That works well with our kids because they really do feel the ownership with riders coming past.”
As an event the cycle challenge also fits in with the outdoorsy approach at the rural school – whose other big annual fundraisers are a trail ride and horse trek.
“Some or our kids are quite sporty so it's a nice positive thing. (Doing the cycle challenge) is something they can aspire to in future. It’s in our backyard, and it's always nice to actually be able to help our local athletes or athletes in our local area.”
And the certainty of it is a real bonus.
“We know it’s November 29 this year… We've got to be there at 6 o'clock in the morning and we do five hours. Come rain, hail or shine it will be on and this is the hours we’ll do, this is the money we’re going to get so why don’t you turn up team?
“And especially to be able to say ‘well these parents or these kids came and helped so this money will come directly off your camp fee because you bothered to get out of bed and help’.”
With 162 students at present and 170 by early term four, Marotiri School has a healthy roll and is fully staffed, says Symes, and this year staff, parents and students are again looking forward to the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge.
“It’s good fun hanging out there. Hopefully the weather is kind to us, but at least we only have to stand there a while – we don’t have to ride it.”