Martinborough bike crash: Killed British woman was Alison Korny
- A British cyclist was killed and three others injured in a four-seater bike crash in Martinborough.
- The cyclists' families have expressed gratitude for the community’s support and exceptional care received.
- A cyclist’s sister emailed the local deputy mayor saying friends and family had been following news articles and social media posts.
The cyclist killed in a horror four-seater bike crash in Martinborough last week has been named as Alison Korny.
She and three other British tourists were riding a tandem bike on Thursday when they were involved in a crash with a car on Puruatanga Rd.
Korny died at the scene and the others suffered serious injuries.
According to her Linkedin page, Korny previously lived and worked in New Zealand before moving to the UK. She is listed as having worked for National Bank for more than seven years - including in the Wellington and Wairarapa region.
A friend shared a tribute to Korny on social media, saying her thoughts went out to her family and friends, “especially your NZ family”.
“Ali we go a long way back to National Bank days. You will be sorely missed,” the friend wrote.
Another loved one shared a photo of herself with Korny, which others responded to with condolences.
Meanwhile the sister of one of the cyclists has shared a “humbling” message of thanks to the community.
“Over the weekend, I received an email from Amanda, the sister of one of the cyclists involved in Thursday’s tragic accident,” South Wairarapa District Deputy Mayor Melissa Sadler-Futter said on social media.
“She wrote from the heart about what her family is going through - the physical injuries, the emotional pain, and the long road ahead for all those affected. Reading her words was both humbling and deeply moving.”
Sadler-Futter said Amanda had shared her gratitude for the “exceptional care and communication” they have received from the agencies and organisations involved.
“Amid everything they are facing, she asked me to pass on her heartfelt thanks - to all of you who have shown your support, and especially to those who rushed to the scene to help in any way they could. Amanda said, ‘I simply can’t thank you enough‘.”
Amanda told Sadler-Futter the friends and family of the group had been following news articles and social media posts about the crash and were “blown away with the show of support”.
“This was a powerful reminder to me that the words we share - especially online - are seen by those most affected.
“It’s worth remembering the ‘three gates’ before we speak or write: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? A simple but important principle for all of us to keep in mind,” Sadler-Futter said.
“In a close-knit community like ours, events like this can affect us in unexpected ways. I hope you’re all finding the support you need and taking care of yourselves as you process this difficult situation.”
She shared her thanks to the community for “wrapping your support around those involved and impacted by this accident”.
“I am reminded of the Māori proverb: ‘He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata’ - What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.”
‘It’s incredibly upsetting’
The distressed owner of the cycle hire business the visitors rented the quadricycle from told the Herald he was beside himself on Thursday after hearing of the crash.
The crash was on a long stretch of wineries and vineyards, popular with cyclists.
Indi Bike owner Wayde Mines said the group hired the cycle about 10am. The crash was less than an hour later.
He said it was the first time in 10 years of operating that a hire bike had been in an accident.
“It’s incredibly upsetting.”
The bikes “go out all the time without incident” and the quadricycle in question was brightly-coloured and easy to see.
He said the group were middle-aged, believed to be from the UK, and seemed “chilled out”.
“They were just minding their own business, cruising down the road.”
He had suggested a route that did not include Puruatanga Rd, where the crash happened, he said.
The crash’s cause is still being investigated.
Mines said he wanted to see more signage warning drivers to watch for cyclists.
“There’s some people that drive around Martinborough with their eyes closed.
“I’m incredibly concerned about what’s happened and incredibly concerned about the people.”