Derby marks Ōpotiki Blue Light comeback

Following several years in recess, Ōpotiki Blue Light marked its return in style with the inaugural ‘Crooked Road Trolley Derby’ in late October.

Coordinated by Ōpotiki Police and the community under the Blue Light banner, the day was “a resounding success”, attracting more than 1000 spectators.

Ōpotiki Youth Aid Constable Ian Dodds, says the purpose was to get families and schools to work with their young people to build trolleys capable of successfully negotiating the twisting 800m Crooked Road course.

Ōpotiki Senior Constable Marty Madsen (aka Scott Dixon) on ‘The Shark’ – the Police entry in the open category
of the ‘Crooked Road Trolley Derby’.

The criteria for the trolleys was left to the designers.

“A huge variety of designs appeared on the day,” says Ian.

A recycling theme was used with old ride-on lawn mowers and four-wheel motorbikes through to scrap timber, wheelie bins and mobility scooters.

An open category for “bigger kids” attracted 37 competitors, and a further 50 made up the main field – the youngest just seven-years-old.

“It was amazing to see the cross-section of the community who took part,” says Ian

Lana Pirihi on Hellboy’, winner of the best design.

“Sectors that don’t normally mix were out there racing against each other and having a lot of fun.”

In the final event of the day, students from a local alternative education unit competed against some local businesses resulting in a number of stereotypes being broken.

The local Woodlands primary school also benefited from the day after their PTA sold more than 800 sausages to the hungry crowd.

The day was for the young and the young at heart. Seventy-four-year-old Brian Cribb took honours as the oldest
competitor. Photos: Ōpotiki News

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