Triple M

The Cage Get Their Gear Off For Charity 

'Oh-ho-ho-ho, you're just a genius aren't you. You open your big fat mouth and I end up showing off my big fat hairy backside'. And so it began: 7am and nine chilly degrees at Federation Square; The Cage's Peter Berner and Brigitte Duclos starkers and bickering at the start of a four kilometre nude run up St Kilda Road.During Pete's attempt to sell 'nothing' on eBay, Brigi, contemptuous of the idea, proclaimed on air: 'If Pete's nothing gets more than my brown bear, I painted for meditation art, which was $1200, I will run nude somewhere'. Needless to say a bidding frenzy ensued, but, despite asserting that all money raised would be going to local charity Open Family Australia, eBay pulled 'nothing' off its website - citing a violation of their No Item Policy - half way through the auction period. Brigi heaved a brief sigh of relief, thinking - no auction, no nude run.

But Melbourne got behind her and encouraged a re-think, by pledging over $1200 in donations within minutes.However, in true Duclos style, even with guaranteed support from Pete to run alongside, nearly a week passed before she made her decision (in the Sunday Herald Sun no less), to run nude. A quick de-robe in a nearby hotel suite and a warm up jog to the departure point at Fed Square, excitement and exhilaration prevented the goosebumps from taking hold. And to cheers of encouragement from a group of well-wishers, Brigi and Pete set off to return to the St Kilda studios in their specially made modesty boxes.An early gesture, once over Princess Bridge, came in a marathon-run-style moment, when the barista from the café in the Arts Centre forecourt held piping hot coffees aloft for the nudie runners. After trotting at a brisk pace past the NGV, VCA and Melburnian apartments, Brad from Funtastic stopped us outside Victoria Barracks to make balloon appendages and donate some coins to Open Family Australia.Continuing along the length of Melbourne’s widest boulevard, Brigi and Pete had supporters lining the street, some in cars others at the entrance to their places of work, tooting horns and taking photos.

To mix up the monotony of walking, Team Nude Run 07 boarded a number 16 Tram at Domain Interchange for two stops, much to the bewilderment of passengers, before finding it a tad claustrophobic and less interesting than embracing the brisk morning air on foot. At the half-way point a very welcome donation came in the form of lolly snakes from Kwik Kopy, boosting glucose levels vital for the energy to take it home, getting Brigi to lead Pete to St Kilda Junction in minutes (perhaps some urine samples should be taken to the lab for testing).For the final up-hill moments, scenes were reminiscent of a Westfield marathon in the mid eighties, not only did Pete have a shuffle that would have put Cliffy Young to shame, but the support vehicles and local business owners seemed to swarm around the team providing vital toots and cheers for that killer final 'k'. Phong and Andrew, from the now infamous Deli 100, in a rare show of charity, injected Brigi and Pete with one final hit of caffeine to put a spring in their step for the home stretch to the top of the hill at Alma Rd.

A welcoming committee including JB, Parko and Sue from Open Family Australia embraced the nudists after completing the four kilometre trek up St Kilda Road in one hour and one minute. Big thanks to Brigi and Pete for completing the nude run challenge for Open Family Australia and to the following for donating money and services to make it happen: Nankang Tyres; Jim's Test and Tag; Fester Fabrics and Aspect Packaging. Also a big cheer to all of you who tooted, clapped or put money in Brigi's box along the way.