Source: Save the Children
Twenty-five fields skied and more than 4500km cycled or hiked across Aotearoa New Zealand over 95 days, adventurers Huw Kingston and Laurence Mote will complete their Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa at Christchurch’s Sumner Beach on Sunday 28 September.
The pair began their ambitious human powered journey across New Zealand on June 25 in an effort to raise $75,000 to fund climate-resilient classrooms in Vanuatu for children who have had their schooling impacted by continuous cyclones and last year’s earthquake.
Dubbed ‘Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa’, the pair set off from Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island, skiing at all 25 ski fields across the country, and travelling by bike and foot in between. The original route had them finishing in Bluff a week earlier but due to weather and snow availability, they changed their plans, adding several hundred kilometres and additional days.
Christchurch locals and supporters wanting to see the pair complete their epic journey can join them on Sumner Beach, Laurence’s home suburb, from 3pm on Sunday.
“What a beautiful adventure,” says Huw Kingston, whose original ‘Alpine Odyssey’ in Australia in 2022 raised more than $75,000 for an indigenous literacy initiative.
“But so much more than that, being able to support children impacted by repeated climate-related emergencies, such as back-to-back cyclones, has been a huge part of keeping Laurence and I going on the days that felt immensely gruelling.
“With only a couple of days until this journey finishes, I can start to reflect just a little on the 4500km we’ve travelled over the past 95 days. From a ski perspective it has been a challenging winter for some of the 25 ski fields we’ve visited, where crumbs not loaves have been delivered. But we’ve been nourished throughout by the magnificent landscapes of Aotearoa and the warmth and hospitality we’ve received.”
For former New Zealand representative cyclist Laurence Mote, who was left legally blind and still experiencing fatigue and other symptoms after an anaphylactic shock from a bee sting 10 years ago nearly killed him, the journey has been immensely challenging.
“Are we nearly there yet? This is the question I’ve had on repeat for many days now, but Sumner Beach beckons,” he says.
“We’re suddenly at the end of our journey, so I should be feeling shattered, but instead am itching for a powder ski day tomorrow, and treasuring the support and camaraderie of the mountain culture.
“We’ve started talking about Winter 2026 already. Such is the optimism of a skier. But it feels somehow shortsighted at the same time. My measure of climate change is my sporting enjoyment, while for children going to school in tents in Vanuatu, their everyday lives are affected by climate change.”
To date, the pair have raised close to $50,000 towards their goal which will support the innovative pilot project with Save the Children in Vanuatu. The forward-thinking classroom design – adapted from shipping containers – takes into consideration multiple facets of sustainability, such as locally sourced and sustainable building materials, improved natural light and ventilation, and renewable energy for lights and fans. Further fundraising activities are planned until December.
Save the Children New Zealand CEO Heather Campbell, who will be at the official end on Sumner Beach, says the pair are an inspiration.
“I’ve had the privilege of sharing a little of their journey in Wellington and Queenstown and am excited to see them ride their final few hundred metres. Huw and Laurence have not only raised a significant amount of money to support our climate resilient classroom project in Vanuatu, but have also raised awareness of one of the greatest issues facing children, the climate crisis. As the climate crisis escalates, our Pacific neighbours are disproportionately affected – and children are always the most vulnerable.”
About Save the Children NZ:
Save the Children works in more than 100 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.
