Runaway success for runway walk

Nelson Airport’s Walk the Runway event attracted its biggest crowd yet, with an estimated 3000 people taking to the tarmac for a sunset stroll and raising about $10,700 for Blood Cancer NZ.

Nelson Airport head of corporate services Beth Catley said after some dodgy weather during the day, it ended up being a “fantastic” night for the event on Saturday as the clouds cleared and a beautiful sunset emerged.

Kids came with their scooters and balance bikes, and people took selfies and checked out displays from airport operators such as Sounds Air, NZ Aviation Academy, Nelson Aviation College and the Nelson Aero Club.

A local roller derby team roller skated the runway, while another group of women dressed up in tutus and did Pilates.Catley said the event had an “upbeat” vibe, and those who came were excited to get the chance to get out there on the runway and check out the airfield up close.

They also donated “really, really generously”, and the airport was incredibly grateful to the community for the support, she said.

That included a $1000 donation from Bayleys Nelson.

All donations will go to support the entry of Nelson’s airport firefighters in this year’s Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge, a major fundraiser for Blood Cancer NZ.

Airport firefighter Alec Hampson wore his full firefighting kit to show the crowd the gear firefighters must wear to complete the climb of 51 flights of stairs up the 328m high Sky Tower.

“People were pretty interested in how much gear we have to wear,” Hampson said.

“It weighs about 25kg all up, so it makes the climb a big challenge.”

Hampson said he’d be putting in plenty of training up Tamaki Steps to make sure he was ready for it. The Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge is on May 23.

This year, the double decker Summer Beach Bus took passengers from Nelson and Tāhunanui to and from Nelson Airport for the runway walk for the first time. The service proved popular and was booked out several weeks prior.

The event took a break last year while construction works on the airfield were carried out.

By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail