Thanks to the initiative of Danielle Ingle, who broke her leg badly in a crash at the Queenstown Bike Park a year ago, St John now has a purpose-built stretcher for rescuing injured riders.
The Queenstown Mountain Bike Club member fractured the tibia and fibula in one leg in the crash, prompting a rescue that required two paramedics and six riders to carry her 100m on a stretcher down steep terrain to the park's access road.
Miss Ingle said she spent four days in hospital reflecting on a ''pretty average experience for all involved''.
After hearing that St John wanted a specialised stretcher for carrying patients in steep terrain, she organised a quiz night and raffle to start a fundraising effort to secure the $4000 needed.
One of the paramedics involved in the rescue was fellow club member Jono Head, who remembers it as being particularly difficult.
''It was quite a steep section to get her out of - it was a pretty nasty injury and she was in a lot of pain.''
The park's steep terrain made carrying stretchers difficult, with bearers often slipping over.
The solution was a variation of the classic ''MacInnes stretcher'' used throughout the world - this one with a steel frame and two wheels.
''The wheels take the weight, which means the bearers can just guide it.''
Mr Head chipped in by running a ''Bike Shuttles Day'' last December, bringing the funds raised to $2700.
The balance came from the club and gondola operator Skyline ''splitting the difference''.
Built by Arrowtown Engineering, the stretcher was delivered to the gondola's top station a fortnight ago.
He expected to see it deployed several times at the park this summer, and it would also be available for rescues at other locations and on standby at competitive events.
Miss Ingle said although her crash had been traumatic - a metal plate was removed from her leg only a fortnight ago - she was pleased ''something good has come of it''.
