Hebbend lost his wife, Joanne, to Hodgkin’s lymphoma in late March, but says she’d have probably died 18 months earlier if it hadn’t been for two rescue helicopter mercy dashes to Dunedin Hospital.
This will be the 63-year-old’s ninth ride, but understandably he’s not had the time to devote to training he’s had in other years.
However, his fundraising’s been going great guns, and by early this week he’d raised $4150.
And over the years he estimates he’s raised between $25,000 and $30,000.
Hebbend’s also stoked this 13th ride will probably see the $1million barrier broken.
He says the 230km ride, starting 6am tomorrow, is a bit like speed dating.
"You’ve got 100 people and you know very few of them, but they change over [riders] every 10 minutes at the front, so you’re talking to someone different all the time.
"It just breaks it up — suddenly you’re in Five Rivers, next minute you’re in Lumsden"
Star riders this year include All Blacks great Richie McCaw and his wife, Black Sticks champion Gemma McCaw, 2012 Olympic gold medal-winning rower Nathan Cohen and broadcaster Paddy Gower.
