If you love the thrill of a downhill on your mountain bike, but dread the slog of getting to the top - then the Glencoe Gravity might be the event for you. 

The new fundraiser for Maheno School involves a helicopter ride to the top of Mt Miserable and then a bike ride down, on November 11.

Event manager Sven Thelning said the school had been looking for a big fundraiser. 

“A big fundraiser where you put a lot of effort in for a short space of time, rather than lots of small ones.”

He said with the “amazing mountain bike tracks” created by Mountain Biking North Otago in Herbert Forest, in the school’s “backyard”, it was an obvious option.

“And then I'd seen some big fundraisers overseas, like over in Tasmania when I went there with Rotary, and they flew a helicopter out to a lighthouse and I thought well, you know, we could probably put those two things together, fly them to the top of the Kakanuis. "

Riders follow a 15km high country track down through Glencoe Run, past the historic Red Hut, along the boundary of the Waianakarua Reserve. 

“They get views from, basically from Moeraki all the way up to, pretty much to Timaru on a good day, and then all the way up to Kurow.”

While the ride is mostly downhill, there are three uphill sections - but only one is particularly difficult.

Sven estimated the track was somewhere between easy and intermediate grade, and for him, self-described as “not a mountain biker”, the ride took an hour and a half.

“There's a steep section at the top, but people can get off and walk it if they want. So even if you're not comfortable, it's not a long way to walk the steep bit.”

There are advanced sections of the forest on the actual mountain bike tracks, but they can be avoided, he said.

Helicopter rides are being provided at a reduced rate by Central South Island Helicopters. There is a limit of 196 tickets over an eight-hour period, due to helicopter availability, and to restrict the number of riders on the track at one time.

“We'll also have vans running, so when you've done your run, you can have a feed at the tent, go back up, and just go down through the forest, if you want to go in the van,” Sven said.

“You could even just ride down the local tracks if you wanted and it could be just a leisurely Sunday ride.”

It’s not an official race, but the runs will be timed, and there is definitely the opportunity to go fast, for those who feel the need for speed.

The Home and School Committee will be catering for the event, and it will be held on the farmland of Grant and Ele Ludemann.  

The van takes people to where the mountainbike trails enter the forest. So people coming from the helicopter come from one direction, and then those from the vans come from the other direction.

The event is for ages 10 and up.

“I think that's mostly based on the size of the bike wheels going down the track. A smaller bike would really struggle, and it wouldn't be much fun.

“We want to minimise the amount of vehicles going up the track that bikes are coming down. We want people to have fun. We don't want to set people up to have a long walk.” 

E-bikes are allowed, although the logistics are still being worked out, Sven said.

“Because not all e-bike batteries can go in a helicopter. But we're going to make sure there's a way. They might be dropped off early in the morning, and to go up with a four-wheel drive with a marshall to the top. So when you get there your battery's waiting. That's the plan at this stage.”

As well as Maheno School, Cure Our Ovarian Cancer will also receive a share of the profits.

The charity is dear to the hearts of the Ludemanns, and was started by their daughter Jane, who was diagnosed with low-grade serous ovarian cancer about six years ago, aged 32.

“They've had billboards in Times Square and are very effective at advocating for ovarian cancer which is one of those really under-researched health issues,” Sven said.

Tickets for the day are being pre-sold, and are limited for both the helicopter and van rides. They can be bought from glencoegravity.com with all other inquiries to be made to [email protected] 

There will be sales on the day for any remaining tickets, and a waitlist may operate if necessary.

“We're starting out small this year. Obviously we'd like to expand in the future, but we'll start off with one track and two helicopters and see how it goes. Learn all the lessons small-scale for a start.”