The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is New Zealand's largest mass participation cycling event. First held in 1977, it takes place on the last Saturday of each November and circumnavigates Lake Taupō, a volcanic crater lake in the centre of the North Island. The ride starts and finishes in Taupō with one full circuit being approximately 160 km. Around 7,000 riders take part each year.
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 (2022 data): Round The Lake: A one lap circuit of Lake Taupō, starting and finishing in Taupō and following Poihipi Road and State Highways 32, 41 and 1. Approximately 160 km. Length Of The Lake: One half of the full circuit, starting at Tūrangi and finishing in Taupō. Approximately 80 km. Lakesider: A 16 km leisure ride for recreational cyclists, mostly off-road. 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 35 km, 60 km 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 Taupō to Tūrangi and return.
Records Source: Fastest Round the Lake (male): Sam Gaze 3:37 (2017 Men's Classic winner) Fastest Round the Lake (female): Susy Pryde 3:57 (1999) Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge - Cycle records"
Past winners Source: YearMen's winnerWomen's winner 1998 Darren Murray Susy Pryde 1999 Lee Vertongen Susy Pryde 2000 Jason Kelly, Patrick Kelly & John Barry (Tridem) Susy Pryde 2001 Marcel Hollenstein Michelle Hyland 2002 Paul de Rijk Melissa Pilla 2003 Matthew Yates Roz Reekie-May 2004 Jeremy Yates Nadene Boyle 2005 Peter Latham Meshy Holt 2006 Hamish Bond Brei Gudsell 2007 Gordon McCauley Kerri-Anne Torckler 2008 Peter Latham Kaytee Boyd 2009 Jeremy Yates Melissa Holt 2010 Roman Van Uden Karen Fulton 2011 Michael Torckler Kaytee Boyd 2012 Mike Northey Rushlee Buchanan 2013 Michael Torckler Reta Trotman 2014 Patrick Bevin Ruby Livingstone 2015 Dion Smith Racquel Sheath 2016 Aaron Gate Racquel Sheath 2017 Sam Gaze Matilda Raynolds 2018 Hamish Bond Ione Johnson 2019 Kees Duyvesteyn Sharlotte Lucas 2020No race due COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand 2021 2022 Michael Torckler Claudia Weidekam
References
External links Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge (official event website)