Cyclists Hanlen and Walker spearhead kiwi effort

Kiwi Olympian cyclists Karen Hanlen (MTB) and Sarah Walker (BMX) have been getting behind a bunch of young kiwis in an attempt to make a real difference for the future.

Both riders have recently visited Whakatane Kiwi Trust and had up-close encounters with young birds either in, or about to be released into, the wilds of the reserves right on the edge of the Eastern Bay of Plenty town.
Walker’s encounter was part of a week of thrills for her fellow world championship BMX competitors, with Laura Smulders of the Netherlands also joining her.

Getting up close and personal with the young kiwi proved to be one of the more popular activities with Facebook fans following the New Zealand BMX silver medallist on her high octane week of hosting.
For Hanlen, the involvement with the national bird goes a bit further and has stretched to becoming a campaigner for the project in her local community.

The mother of two also acts as a guide in a yet-to-be-released video which supports an educational package developed by the kiwi trust and also found time to front an inspiring Conservation Pledge clip ahead of flying out to South Africa for the World Mountain Bike Championships which begin on August 26.

Conservation Week runs September 8-15.