The Karapoti Classic is New Zealand's longest-running annual mountain bike event, started in 1986 by Paul Kennett.[1] The full course is 50 kilometres (31 mi) long and starts in Karapoti Park, Akatarawa, in Upper Hutt, and heads up the 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) Karapoti Gorge.[2] From there it begins a single 30 kilometres (19 mi) loop in the native and pine forest of the Akatarawa Ranges.

Karapoti Classic
One of the steep uphill passages (2006)
Race details
Datefirst Saturday of March
RegionKarapoti Gorge and Akatarawa Forest, Upper Hutt
DisciplineCross country race
CompetitionMountain Bike National Championships
Typesingle lap
History
Editions32
Most winsJon Hume (4 wins)
Kathy Lynch (8 wins)
Most recentKyle Ward
Samara Sheppard

The 1986 Karapoti was New Zealand's first national mountain bike race and was self declared the National Off-Road Championships. The event was managed by the Kennett Bros until 2002.

The event differs from most races because it comprises a large single loop and the route does not change from year to year.

With two exceptions, it has since 1993 been held on the first Saturday of March every year.

Race records

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Rider Class Time Year
Anton Cooper Men 2:07:57[3] 2014
Kim Hurst Women 2:45:29 2014

Individual results

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Male and female winners since the inaugural race are shown in the table below.[4]

Event Date Men Women
Competitor Residence Time Competitor Residence Time
1st 25 April 1986 Tim Galloway Wellington 2:35:28 Anne Butler Wellington 4:01:54
2nd 10 May 1987 Paul Kennett Wellington 1:45:00 Phillipa Parsons Wellington 2:27:51
3rd 27 February 1988 Simon Kennett Wellington 2:54:30 Alison Mitchell Christchurch 3:54:07
4th 2 April 1989 Grant Tyrrell Hamilton 2:38:50 Kathy Lynch Motueka 3:15:58
5th 30 March 1990 Paul Hinton United Kingdom 2:40:18 Kathy Lynch Motueka 3:10:12
6th 23 March 1991 Jon Hume Tauranga 2:30:47 Kathy Lynch Motueka 2:54:40
7th 28 March 1992 Jon Hume Tauranga 2:34:50 Kathy Lynch Motueka 3:13:26
8th 6 March 1993 Jon Hume Tauranga 2:33:13 Susan DeMattei United States 3:08:18
9th 5 March 1994 Jon Hume Tauranga 2:22:04 Kathy Lynch Motueka 2:49:42
10th 4 March 1995 Craig Lawn Hastings 2:28:00 Kathy Lynch Motueka 2:51:12
11th 3 March 1996 Craig Lawn Hastings 2:36:27 Kathy Lynch Motueka 3:13:08
12th 2 March 1997 Cliff Fellingham Napier 2:28:00 Kathy Lynch Motueka 3:10:45
13th 1 March 1998 Kashi Leuchs Dunedin 2:20:46 Ann Mahoney Wellington 3:07:56
14th 6 March 1999 Kim Eriksson Sweden 2:30:39 Brenda Clapp Nelson 3:16:40
15th 4 March 2000 Julian Mitchel Christchurch 2:28:48 Sadie Parker Auckland 2:59:12
16th 4 March 2001 Tim Vincent Nelson 2:29:39 Sadie Parker Auckland 3:05:42
17th 2 March 2002 Kashi Leuchs Dunedin 2:23:06 Susy Pryde Auckland 2:54:19
18th 1 March 2003 Tim Vincent Nelson 2:24:23 Susy Pryde Auckland 2:54:16
19th 6 March 2004 Peter Hatton Australia 2:28:27 Lisa Mathison Australia 3:01:00
20th 5 March 2005 Tim Vincent Nelson 2:28:21 Rosara Joseph Christchurch 2:56:35
21st 4 March 2006 Peter Hatton Australia 2:18:01 Nathalie Schneitter Switzerland 3:04:37
22nd 3 March 2007 Clinton Avery Rotorua 2:14:00 Jennifer Smith USA/NZ 2:47:35
23rd 1 March 2008 Stuart Houltham Wellington 2:18:59 Fiona Macdermid Palmerston North 2:47:41
24th 7 March 2009 Mark Leishman Rotorua 2:28:39 Fiona Macdermid Palmerston North 2:47:54
25th 6 March 2010 Tim Wilding Wellington 2:21:39 Annika Smail Rotorua 2:52:13
26th 5 March 2011 Anton Cooper Woodend 2:26:32 Elina Ussher Denmark 3:04:59
27th 18 March 2012 Mat Waghorn Feilding 2:29:05 Fiona Macdermid Palmerston North 2:55:32
28th 2 March 2013 Dirk Peters Rotorua 2:25:02 Kim Hurst Upper Hutt 2:50:31
29th 1 March 2014 Anton Cooper Woodend 2:07:57 Kim Hurst Upper Hutt 2:45:29
30th 7 March 2015 Eden Cruise Porirua 2:28:01 Jennifer Smith USA/NZ 2:49:49
31st 5 March 2016 Jack Compton Porirua 2:07:57 Kim Hurst Upper Hutt 2:42:12
32nd 18 February 2017[5] Kyle Ward Australia 2:17:40 Samara Sheppard Australia 2:42:45

References

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  1. ^ Edwards, Simon (11 February 2015). "History of Karapoti Classic on show in Upper Hutt". Upper Hutt Leader. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  2. ^ "The Classic – 50K". Karapoti Classic. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Records All Round at Karapoti". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  4. ^ "Karapoti Hall of Fame". MDJ Media & Events Ltd & Karapoti Classic. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Saturday 18th February 2017 Karapoti Park". The Timing Team. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
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