Brothers set for Godzone event

• Published date: 26 January 2023
• Publication title: Central Otago News

Tiaan McKinnel, who grew up in Ettrick, has entered the punishing Godzone expedition adventure race for the third time. His older brother, Jonty, is joining his team along with Flynn Goodger, of Gore, and Jana Becker, of Hawea

In preparation for racing in wild terrain around the clock, he and Jonty had been running missions in bush at night to make sure they could navigate in the dark, McKinnel said.

Team CAJ Apples Ettrick will tackle the legendary race in Fiordland from February 24 to March 4.

Everyone on the team was already fit but there were other skills they needed to develop, McKinnel said.

Asking for help was one of them.

‘‘There can’t be any egos. It’s all about getting on together. It’s a real challenge to stand up and ask for help. But it’s about dropping the egos.

‘‘You’re only as fast as your slowest [team] member.’’

The McKinnel brothers were used to offering help rather than asking for it.

About a year ago, they led a community fund-raising event for Breast Cancer by repeatedly climbing the Bullock Track, at Coal Creek, until they had made a total vertical gain of 8848m, the height of Mt Everest.

Their mother, Trudi, was diagnosed with breast cancer that year after a routine mammogram. Her three sons Jonty, Tiaan and Stacey, wanted to give back to the community who had rallied around their mum, who was now in good health.

Physically challenging themselves might be an inherited trait. Their dad, John, has completed five Coast to Coast races.

Tiaan said getting his father on board to make a family team was one of his goals.

CAJ Apples, in Ettrick, was the team’s major sponsor. Even given the early discounted team entry fee of $8800, there were further costs for travel, food and support crew, so sponsorship was crucial, he said.

Last year, his team withdrew after four days when one had to...