Ambassadors

Meet our Ambassadors

We’ve got four very cool ambassadors signed up and ready to take on the 2024 Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge. You can meet them and follow along with their training journey here. You may find it inspiring or you may find it entertaining but either way these guys are awesome and we thank them for sharing their story!

Bryony Botha riding the Round the Lake

“I'm Bryony, I'm 25 years old and I am a member of the NZ Track Cycling Team. I have been to 2 Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast & Birmingham) and 1 Olympic Games (Tokyo). I have a Bachelors degree in Social Science and I am currently working towards my Masters in Management and my second Bachelors degree in Communication.

My dad got me into cycling when I was 12 years old and he coached me and did every single training session with me until I was 17 and I started getting too fast for him! I like riding because I love exercising, challenging myself, and exploring new areas. Cycling has also taken me to some amazing and strange places around the world that I probably never would have experienced if I didn't do cycling. And I also love the massive cycling community that exists not only in New Zealand but all over the world.”

- Bryony

Featured
October Recap
October Recap

October and November were two jam packed months! From awards, to events, and everything in between.

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September recap
September recap

September has been a busy month of training for the Track Cycling World Champs, juggling university, and starting my internship with Velobike. I loved sharing my Olympic experience with kids at local schools and remembering how inspiring our achievements can be.

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July/August Recap
July/August Recap

My biggest takeaway since the Olympics is that the journey matters more than the destination. Winning silver taught me that the process is what truly counts. Now, I'm focused on the Track Cycling World Championships in Denmark.

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Ian Jones riding the Round the Lake

“My name is Ian Jones an ageing age athlete and riding forms a big part of my training for endurance events. I love the social aspect of riding and found it has been an amazing way to see a lot of our country”

- Ian

Featured
Thank goodness for muscle memory
Thank goodness for muscle memory

Wow!!! How did that sneak up on me? Saturday 30th November, the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge – a day I always have marked in my diary, is, at the time of writing this, now only 7 weekends away!

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Five months to go…
Five months to go…

Five months until Event Day!

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Get to know Ian…
Get to know Ian…

Ian is an avid cyclist who incorporates it as a major component of his endurance training. He finds great pleasure in the social aspect of cycling and has discovered that it is an incredible way to experience many parts of the country.

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Leisa Hopkins riding the Round the Lake

“I really enjoy riding as you can find your own pace and level and it’s a fabulous way to be outside and see new things. I’ve entered the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge a few times now and am working my way towards gaining silver cadence (15 times) in a few more years.”

- Leisa

Featured
Family, friends and fun
Family, friends and fun

October has been a bit of a challenge for me due to family health issues, but I’m back on track. I’ve decided to ride the Length of the Lake with a couple of friends (one new to cycling), and I’m looking forward to a fun Event Day with family, friends, and all the new people I’ll meet along the way!

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Spring Training
Spring Training

Spring has arrived, but the weather hasn't quite caught up. Despite the rain, I've been pushing my rides past 50km, gearing up for the big event in November. Less than two months to go, and while hills still look daunting no matter how long I stare, it's all about keeping the pedals turning

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New gear to get on the road with
New gear to get on the road with

Leisa hit the road to test out her new Tineli gear and admits Hatepe Hill looks daunting right now. She's been tackling smaller hills, building strength, and is excited for spring when longer rides and hills will feel easier (sort of)!

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Taylor Gunman riding the Round the Lake

“After 9 years of racing I worked in the travel industry taking guided trips through Italy, France, Spain and Morocco. The bike has allowed me to travel and ride my bike all over the world. Every year it was important to me to race Taupo due to the importance it holds in the cycling community. As it is no longer my full time employment I take more joy out of working with a bunch of mates trying to achieve a time around the lake. Last year we wanted to go 4h30min - 2024 goal is to go under the 4h:30min time”

- Taylor

Featured
Get to know Taylor…
Get to know Taylor…

Taylor, with 9 years in racing and a background in the travel industry leading guided trips through Italy, France, Spain, and Morocco, now finds joy in riding with friends around Lake Taupo, with a goal to break the 4h30min mark in 2024.

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