Athletics: Records fall in Taupo event

By JO-MARIE BROWN

More than 7200 people took part in Australasia's largest cycling event on Saturday when they pedalled 160km around Lake Taupo.

The 26th annual Wattyl Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge attracted competitors from as far away as Switzerland, Finland, South Africa and Tahiti, with Saturday's record tally up 400 from last year.

The race is divided into different sections to cater for elite riders through to first-timers.



Those who could not manage the full 160km themselves opted for the relay race involving 2-4 person teams while the extremely fit entered the super enduro section and completed not one but three laps of the lake.

Manchester Commonwealth Games team's pursuit bronze medallist Lee Vertongen was the fastest around Lake Taupo, breaking his own record by four minutes to finish the elite riders' Avanti Classic Race in 3h 53m.

The quickest woman home was Auckland's Meshy Holt in 4h 7m who beat Susy Pryde's previous record by two minutes.