The Puaikura Volunteer Fire Brigade members have again done and dusted no ordinary climb after taking part in the Firefighters Sky Tower Challenge in Aotearoa New Zealand on Friday to raise $18,721 in support of Kiwis living with blood cancer.

Over 900 people participated in the annual event climbing the height of Auckland’s Sky Tower – one of the tallest buildings in the Southern Hemisphere at 328 metres. The participants were required to carry 25 kilograms of additional kit worn by each firefighter, up 51 flights of stairs of 1103 individual steps.

Tahiti Isaaka has been training for the past eight months in preparation for her first Sky Tower challenge.

“I did it, my goal was to complete it in 45 minutes but I smashed it in 36.17 minutes,” she said.

“I felt relieved and overwhelmed, a happy mix of emotional feelings since I have been training for this Sky Tower fundraiser for nearly eight months.

“It was well worth it; this is something I will look at joining again next year if I have the chance.

“Representing the Cook Islands, my island of Atiu, my family and my friends at home was such an honour. All the love and support from my family and community has been overwhelming, I will forever be grateful. Meitaki ki te Atua.”

Tarina Moorfield competed in the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge for the fourth time.

“Our team did really well, we had been training every Sunday morning for the past six months training at hospital hill and the stadium steps and our own individual training and fitness programme throughout the week.”

The Puaikura Volunteer Fire Brigade team placed 17^th in the team’s fundraising efforts in support of Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.

The members in the 2023 Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge were: Jacapo Dozzo (captain), John Beasley, Tahiti Isaaka, John Jessie, Jason Moorfield, Tarina Moorfield, Dan Reyes, Nia Remuera, Selina Shariff and Asaeli Vunibaka.

Reyes is a former firefighter for Puaikura and now a member of Brigade Matamata Fire Volunteer in Aotearoa. He chose to and was “happy” to represent the Cook Islands and reunite with his colleagues.

The 2023 Sky Tower Challenge raised $1,496,055.