Nearly $60,000 has been raised from a jet ski charity run launched from Tauranga.BaY of Plenty Times The Yamaha Melanoma Foundation Ski-nZ event spanned 600 kilometres, from Pilot Bay to Russell and involved 15 jet skiiers raising money for the Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand over several days last week.Tauranga man Peter Whale was one of the 15 people involved and raised more than $12,000 for the cause.The event was the first of its kind in New Zealand and was inspired by a similar event in Australia, organiser Jeremy Burfoot said.Auckland-based Mr Burfoot is a melanoma survivor himself and said he hoped to run the event again next year.Linda Flay, CEO of the Melanoma Foundation said the event was great and a lot of people didn't realise New Zealand and the highest incidence rate of melanoma in the world, with more than 4000 New Zealanders being diagnosed every year.

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