Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge

The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is New Zealand's largest mass participation cycling event.[1] First held in 1977, it takes place on the last Saturday of each November and circumnavigates Lake Taupo, a volcanic crater lake in the centre of the North Island. The ride starts and finishes in Taupo with one full circuit being approximately 160 km. Around 7,000 riders take part each year.[2]

Relay bikes being prepared for transport (2007).
Relay riders waiting for their teammates (2007).
The bagpiper on Hatepe Hill (2007).
Aftermath crowds on the Taupo Domain (2007).

Categories

The event aims to cater for all riders, from the elite racers to those just wishing to make it around. This is reflected in the range of finishing times - from under 4 to over 10 hours. Riders are asked to nominate finishing times and staggered starts are used to group riders by ability.

Subcategories of the event are (2017 data):[3]

  • Round The Lake: A one lap circuit of Lake Taupo, starting and finishing in Taupō and following Poihipi Road and State Highways 32, 41 and 1. Approximately 160 km.
  • Half The Lake: One half of the full circuit, starting at Kuratau Junction (SH 32/41 junction) and finishing in Taupō. Approximately 80km.
  • Quarter Lake: One quarter of the full circuit, starting at Motuoapa and finishing at Taupō. Approximately 40km.
  • Lakesider: A 16 km leisure ride for recreational cyclists, mostly off-road.
  • Kids Heart Ride: An option for children under 10, a 5 km distance into Taupo.
  • Enduro: An option for individuals who ride multiple laps of the lake circuit (normally either two, four or eight, - this is certified as a qualifying brevet for Paris–Brest–Paris and RAAM).
  • Huka Mountain Bike: Mountain bike challenges of 35km, 60km or 85 km, and an 85 km elite licensed rider race.
  • Men's Classic Road Race: An official BikeNZ sanctioned race. Participants set off before the rest of the riders, competing in a full-on race, with a current racing license required, and entry limited to 100 riders. Riders must have a previous best time in the main event of under 4:30.
  • Women's Classic Road Race: A women's only 100 km race for licensed riders from Taupo to Turangi and return.

Records

Source:[4]

  • Fastest Round the Lake (male): Sam Gaze 3:37 (2017 Men's Classic winner)
  • Fastest Round the Lake (female): Susy Pryde 3:57 (1999) [5]

Past winners

Source:[6]

YearMen's winnerWomen's winner
1998[7] Darren Murray Susy Pryde
1999[8] Lee Vertongen Susy Pryde
2000[9] Jason Kelly, Patrick Kelly & John Barry (Tridem) Susy Pryde
2001[10] Marcel Hollenstein Michelle Hyland
2002[11] Paul de Rijk Melissa Pilla
2003[12] Matthew Yates Roz Reekie-May
2004[13] Jeremy Yates Nadene Boyle
2005[14] Peter Latham Meshy Holt
2006[15] Hamish Bond Brei Gudsell
2007[16] Gordon McCauley Kerri-Anne Torckler
2008[17] Peter Latham Kaytee Boyd
2009[18] Jeremy Yates Melissa Holt
2010[19] Roman Van Uden Karen Fulton
2011[20] Michael Torckler Kaytee Boyd
2012[21] Mike Northey Rushlee Buchanan
2013[22] Michael Torckler Reta Trotman
2014[23] Patrick Bevin Ruby Livingstone
2015[24] Dion Smith Racquel Sheath
2016[25] Aaron Gate Racquel Sheath
2017[26] Sam Gaze Matilda Raynolds
2018[27] Hamish Bond Ione Johnson
2019[28] Kees Duyvesteyn Sharlotte Lucas

References
  1. "Injuries dog Taupo cycle race". Herald on Sunday. 27 November 2005. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  2. Griffin, Peter (11 October 2007). "All in the timing for radio tag team". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  3. "Great lake bike ride". The New Zealand Herald. 8 November 2005. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  4. "Records". Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  5. Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge - Cycle records" Archived 2014-12-22 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Results Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge". cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  7. "1998-Results" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  8. "99-Results" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  9. "2000-Results" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  10. "Results booook 2001" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  11. "Results 2002" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  12. "Results 2003" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  13. "Results 2004" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  14. "Results book 2005 V1" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  15. "Results 2006" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  16. "Results 2007" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  17. "Results 2008" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  18. "LTC Results 2009" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  19. "Results 2010" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  20. "Cycle Challenge 2011" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  21. "all results 2012" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  22. "Results 2013" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  23. "Results 2014" (PDF). cyclechallenge. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  24. "The Timing Team". thetimingteam. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  25. "The Timing Team". thetimingteam. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  26. "Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge". myraceresult. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  27. "BDO Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge". myraceresult. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  28. "BDO Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge". myraceresult. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
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