MGD was proud to sponsor the recent 2023 Brisbane 7 Day Chain Reaction Challenge.

The peloton set out on Sunday 26 March, from Christchurch, ready for the seven-day, 1000-kilometre cycling challenge through the scenic South Island of New Zealand.

Day one involved harbour views along the ancient volcanic craters of Christchurch and a welcome from the local Māori tribe: Mihi Whakatau. The peloton rolled out of Christchurch on day two, turned due east, and faced a strong “gale force” headwind for the next 160 kilometres including up the brutally steep Porter’s Pass. After lunch, they climbed five kilometres up Arthur’s Pass, followed by a breathtaking nine-kilometre descent.

Day three commenced in Ross, and the first 40 kilometres across the beautiful West Coast countryside treated them to pelting rain. After a quick break at Lake Lanthe, the peloton set off on their next 40 kilometres, including a decent climb up Mt Hercules, followed by a well-deserved lunch at the famous Old Whataroa school house, and finally tracking through Franz Joseph Glacier to their destination, Fox Glacier.

At sunrise the next day, they rode out from Fox Glacier, followed by a gentle roll after a steep climb to Bruce Bay and onto the tiny coastal town of Haast. Haast to Wanaka was the day five ride, with grand mountains, vast lakes, and breathtaking views.

On day six, the peloton began their 130-kilometre route toward their final destination, Queenstown. Along the way, the team climbed up to Cardrona Valley, when at the top, the peloton was rewarded with spectacular views over Queenstown, then enjoyed the famous descent down the Crown Range.

The final day of the ride began with a relatively flat rollout along the edge of Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy. The peloton then faced their last challenge of the week, the climb up Coronet Peak toward the finish line on the shores of the lake. The riders and support crew celebrated in Queenstown with margaritas and fajitas and set sights on the next Chain Reaction adventure.

Albeit a challenging ride, the group successfully fundraised over $690,000 (at the time of writing) to support the life-changing work of children’s charities AEIOU Foundation for children with autism and TRACTION.

AEIOU Foundation helps thousands of children with autism to develop life skills that support them to engage in everyday life, and participate at home, in the community, at school, and in the workforce.

TRACTION engages local communities and serves those most in need by providing a safe, inclusive, action-based environment where vulnerable youth build self-esteem, find a sense of belonging, discover their potential, and create their own future.

MGD is a proud supporter of the life-changing work of these children’s charities. As one of our Brisbane peloton riders shared, “the chance to help kids and families who are less fortunate than ourselves – there is no better feeling in the world!”.

You can find out more about the ride over on the Chain Reaction blog or by watching the 2023 Brisbane Challenge Highlight Video.

Disclaimer: Any advice included in this article is general and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. As such, you should consider its appropriateness having regard to these factors before acting on it. Before you make any decision about whether to acquire a certain financial product, you should obtain and read the relevant product disclosure statement.