Westpac Chopper Appeal

Westpac Chopper Bike Ride 2026

$20,598 of $150,000 goal

8 May 2026

The Chopper Bike Ride is back for its 15th year – and we need your support to make it the biggest one yet.

Southland

On Friday 8 May, riders from across Aotearoa will tackle the legendary 235km ride from Queenstown to Invercargill to raise funds for the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust to support the vital Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Service – a lifeline for people across some of our most remote regions.

This year, they’re joined by Paddy Gower, Brook MacDonald, and Sarah Cowley Ross, all stepping up to help keep this vital service flying.

Your donation goes directly to the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust to support the vital Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Service, funding missions that save lives every week – from farming accidents and medical emergencies to lost trampers and back‑country rescues.

Every dollar makes a difference.

Let’s make 2026 unforgettable – for the riders, for the region, and for the chopper! 🚁

Participant leaderboard

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Ride for Rick and Vic

$3,175

$10,000

Cakes Bikes and Choppers

$1,800

$1,500

Nic McAra’s 2026 Fundraising Page

$1,720 raised

Carl's Ride for the Westpac Chopper

$1,706

$1,500

Westpac Chopper Appeal - Queenstown to Invercargill 2026

$1,347

$1,500

Teams

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Select a team to join or to donate to one of the members

Rescue Riders Gone North....

Donate Participate Share

On average, fundraisers pay just 2% to use Givealittle. This is one of the lowest effective fees in New Zealand fundraising. We charge a 5% platform fee to cover the cost of running the platform. Because most donors choose to top up their donation to cover this fee, the effective cost paid by fundraisers is about 2%. That means around 98 cents of every dollar raised goes to the cause. Learn More