"I was riding a single-speed bike and it's a lot more of a challenge riding without gears to get you up the hills, but still managed to keep in front of the riders with gears.
"The trails were such a joy to ride [apart from the dust] fast and flowing, with plenty of room for passing other riders."
Proper hydration and nutrition were crucial. Andrew said he stopped at the six-hour mark for a quick pit stop to stock up on fluids and food while the support crew checked over the bike.
"I went through 10 litres of fluid during the event and it still wasn't enough to keep properly hydrated," he said.
Several other Northland competitors entered the event, which saw about 3000 riders participate.
Many of the Whangarei contingent were first-timers on the endurance mountain bike scene and rode the six-hour section of the race.
Aaron Conaghan completed 10 laps in 5hrs 52min and was 52nd, Scott Cann rode eight laps in 5hrs 33min, placing 56th, while Ben Hasilden rode 11 laps in 5hrs 48min. Hasilden was 42nd.
Meanwhile, Kim Reyburn, Andrew's sister, rode 12 laps in a time of 5hrs 43min and was seventh in the female division but, because of mechanical issues, she was unable to match her effort at the Rotorua event, where she came third in the women's six-hour section.
Bike Whangarei also put in a team of five riders in the 12-hour section.
