Kids corner

Steve often gets approached by students to give information about himself for school projects.
Here's an interview with Steve which hopefully answers any questions you guys might have...

Born: in Hamilton in 1963. Eldest of four children. Later Steve's family moved to Auckland. He has lived in Christchurch for several years now.

Sport: Steve says he wasn't particularly talented at his sport in younger years, and says that as primary school boy, he was usually last in all school sports!. Steve has a positive attitude, is determined and has passion for what he does, these qualities have helped him become successful.

Hobbies and Interests: Sport & all things associated with it, like healthy eating, understanding your body, sporting equipment and clothing.

Steve loves all sports. He really enjoys kayaking, mountain biking, orienteering and other forms of adventure racing.

Steve feels very strong about the environment and how we look after it, and he is connected with the Estuary Trust.

Future Plans:Steve is currently trying to get his Adventure Sport clothing business up& running. He sells a range of clothes under his Gurney Gears label.Very soon clothing will be sold on this website.

Charity Work:Charity work - Steve does a lot of charity work - Curekids (Child Health researchfoundation) Adventure Race that raised $291,000, and Shrek the sheep raised $15,000.

Steve has donated his time to Schools to speak to them. He is now a SPARCAmbassador.

He also helped raise money for Burwood Spinal Unit by providing his time,speaking & donating items of clothing.

Steve also donates Speight's Coast to Coast clothing for Charity Auctions.

Steve has & still does a lot of charity work in various forms.

Sporting Career: He starting at Canterbury Uni. Kayaking was his first passion. It all went from there.

Steve has raced the Speight's Coast to Coast race 18 times.
He has won it a record 9 times, in '90', '91', '97', '98', '99', 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Steve travels a couple of times a year to compete in Adventure Races which are the most challenging of endurance races. Traversing jungles, swamps, rivers, seas, deserts and mountains as a team, the athletes navigate their way through the course by foot, horse, raft, kayak, bike, and sometimes camel! These races can last as long as 8-10 days continuously. The athletes sleep only if they really need to.

Here are some of Steve's racing achievements:

Subaru Primal Quest race in Colorado 2002
Speights Coast to Coast a record 9 wins: 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Mizone Endurazone, winner (Bluff to Cape Reinga)
Xerox Challenge 1990, Cape Reinga to Bluff, winner
NZ Mountain bike team member to the World Champs 1990, 1994
National Downhill Mountain bike Champ 1989
Mountains to the Sea, winner 1992, 1993, 1996
South Island Wild-water kayaking Champ 1990
Australian Subaru Classic series, winner 1991, 1992
Raid Gauloises (pronounced Gaulwahs)Adventure Team Race, Winners 1989, 1994, 1999
Canterbury Sportsperson of the Year Award, 1991 and 1998
Finalist 2002 Halberg Sportsman of the year
MNZM, (Member of the NZ order of Merit) for services to endurance sport.