The Due Drop Hope Challenge team is due to arrive at Whangamata this afternoon Sunday April 16 on Day 6 of their challenge, before heading on to Papamoa on Monday.

The public is invited to come and meet the team at the finish point at New World Whangamata from 4-5pm today before joining in with a community event for all ages at the Whangamata Surf Club at 6.30pm.

On Monday April 17, there is again an opportunity to meet the team, this time at the finish point at Pak n' Save Papamoa from 4-5pm before joining in with the community event at Papamoa Surf Club at 6.30pm.

On Tuesday, April 18, Mike King and his team will begin their daily triathlon at 7am at Mount Maunganui main beach.

The Due Drop Hope Challenge team are holding community meetings at each location during the 16-day challenge. Photo: Supplied.

On Tuesday the team goes on to Whakatane, with similar public meetings planned. They are due to arrive on the steps of Parliament on Wedneday April 26 after further stops at regional towns down the North Island.

The Due Drop Hope Challenge, a charity triathlon involving a powerhouse lineup of former elite athletes and I Am Hope founder Mike King kicked off on April 11 from Mangonui, Northland.

The 16-day relay event was initially scheduled for February but was postponed due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

The line-up of sporting stars includes All Black great ‘Kamo Kid' Ian Jones, MNZM, triathlon world champion Rick Wells, MBE, NRL star Richie Barnett along with Mike King.

The group, which also includes a slew of non-athlete participants (mostly mid-aged) are running, swimming and cycling the length of the North Island to raise awareness of children's free counselling service Gumboot Friday in the regions.

The team are swimming, running and cycling down the North Island on the 16-day challenge. Photo: Supplied.

Mike King says the delays kept his charity I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday busy setting up and operating the I Am Hope Wellness Centre in Hawke's Bay and running an ongoing flood-relief fundraiser in response to the devastation.

'Everyone was so disappointed when our plans were delayed, especially after the mammoth logistical effort and many sleepless nights that went to planning and organising everything, from our tiny team of staff to volunteers, participants, sponsors and supporters.

'But there's no point in sitting around moping. We got ourselves to the East Coast and went straight to work talking to the community about their needs and set up the wellness centre to get as many families the help they needed urgently.

'Meanwhile, the team have been consistently training and everyone's pumped and ready to go. We can't wait to meet with the communities along the way and let them know, help is available, help is here and we want your kids to use it. This what this is all about.”

The team, leaving from Cape Reinga on Day One. Photo: Supplied.

Ex-All Black Hall of Famer Ian Jones says the team were delayed, but never distracted from the upcoming job at hand.

'It can be a real dampener on the spirits when you have a big challenge coming up but unforeseen circumstances completely outside of your control disrupts all your plans. What a great metaphor for life. The team kept positive and continued hard training sessions in preparation of the mammoth task ahead, and we look forward to raising awareness of Gumboot Friday, especially in the regions.”

Triathlon hardman Rick Wells says while it was frustrating, it was worth the wait.

'It's always frustrating to put big things on hold as hundreds of people have pitched into this event and have been working for months to bring this charity triathlon to life, but the cause makes it worth the wait. We've been training hard and taking part in other smaller challenges here and there, and are more than ready to hit the ground running, pun intended.

'It's also worth mentioning our ‘civilian' participants who are not from professional sporting backgrounds but your regular ‘crazy old buggers' who are mostly over 50 and love a good gut-twisting charity challenge. Good people doing a great thing for a brilliant cause.”

Other participants:

• David Mitchell – Auckland businessman and keen swimmer
• Richard Hart – Auckland real estate guru and comic relief expert
• Karim Rostami – Polio virus survivor for whom walking again was considered a miracle by doctors, who fled to New Zealand from the Taliban regime when he was just 8 years-old
• Geoff Evison – Auckland IT professional and keen international swimmer

Day 6 – Sunday April 16
WHANGAMATA
Meet the team at the finish point
• New World Whangamata @ 4-5 PM
Community event for all ages
• Whangamata Surf Club @ 6.30 PM

Day 7 – Monday April 17
MOUNT MAUNGANUI
Meet the team at the finish point
• Pak n' Save Papamoa @ 4-5 PM
Community event for all ages
• Papamoa Surf Club @ 6.30 PM

Day 8 – Tuesday April 18
WHAKATANE (leaving from Mount Maunganui)
Meet the team at the finish point
• New World Whakatane @ 4-5 PM
Community event for all ages
• The Comm Whakatane @ 6.30 PM

Day 9 – Wednesday April 19
LAKE TARAWERA
Community event for all ages
• Lake Tarawera community hall @ 6.30 PM

Day 10 – Thursday April 20
TAUPO
Community event for all ages
• Plateau bar + Eatery @ 6.30 PM

Day 11 – Friday April 21
NEW PLYMOUTH
Meet the team at the finish point
• Bell Block rugby club @ 4-5 PM
Community event for all ages
• Stumble Inn & Cafe @ 6.30 PM

Day 12 – Saturday April 22
WHANGANUI
Meet the team at the finish point
• Cooks garden @ 4-5 PM
Community event for all ages
• The barracks sports club @ 6.30 PM

Day 13 – Sunday April 23
TAIHAPE
Community event for all ages
• Awastone café @ 6.30 PM

Day 14 – Monday April 24
FOXTON BEACH
Meet the team at the finish point
• New World Foxton @ 4-5 PM
Community event for all ages
• Ocean Beach Eatery @ 6.30 PM

Day 15 – Tuesday April 25
PARAPARAUMU
Meet the team at the finish point
• Pak n' Save Kapiti @ 4-5 PM
Community event for all ages
• Kapiti Boat Club @ 6.30 PM

Day 16 – Wednesday April 26
PARLIAMENT STEPS

Due Drop Hope Challenge Givealittle link: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/hope-challenge-givealittle

Due Drop Hope Challenge Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/duedrophopechallenge

Due Drop Hope Challenge Instagram page: @duedrophopechallengenz

Due Drop Foundation website: https://www.duedrop.org.nz