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 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.^[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 (2022 data):^[3]

• 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:^[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]

Year	Men's winner	Women'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
2020	No race due COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
2021[29]
2022[30][31]	Michael Torckler	Claudia Weidekam