Cyclist another step closer to goal

WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

VETERAN TOILER: Brian Hughes is ready for his 19th circumnavigation of Late Taupo on Saturday.

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For Brian Hughes, road riding was almost a natural progression from hunting pigs and deer.

In his youth, hunting in the Ruahines was his sport, with sea fishing thrown in.

He still does both and although aged 65, hasn't quite retired from building yet either. But his summers are given over to the bike and he'll be joining up to 400 Manawatu cyclists heading to Saturday's Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge.

Only three weeks ago, the modest gent won the veterans section of the 190-kilometre K2 event at Coromandel, over huge hills in a six-hour 40-minute slog.

He first mounted the saddle 18 years ago and since then has done 18 Taupo rides in succession, his best 4hr 28min for the 160km journey, averaging a speed of 35kmh to 38kmh. "Half of them have been under five hours. I like to go under five or better," Hughes said.

His aim is to reach a milestone of 20 rides. "There is a bit of a tradition – 10 you go to the bronze club, 15 to silver and 20 into the gold cadence club."

He was also into the long enduro rides, like Nelson to Christchurch, Palmerston North to Hastings and return overnight, and twice has cycled from Auckland to Wellington, each time in 23 hours. He has also competed in a few Masters Games and "got a few medals".

"Two-hundred kilometres is as far as I ride now," he said. "It takes a bit longer to get the wind in your sails now and I only ride in the summer months.

"I've had some gruelling times. If you're conditioned OK, you enjoy it more."

Once he's back in the saddle, he churns out 200km a week in training and trims down from his winter weight of 77kg to 71kg.

Sport has been synonymous with the Hughes family.

Son Owen was New Zealand's whitewater slalom paddler at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He started the family cycling bug and they've all caught it, right down to the grand-children. Wife Jenny, daughter Wendy, ironman son-in-law Brent O'Neill and their kids have all ridden around Taupo in full or in relays. Another daughter, Debbie, was a sprinter and son Ian was a motocross rider. Wendy ran with the Palmerston North harriers in the 1970s and Brian would tag along.

As a youthful 45-year-old, he ran the Fletcher Marathon at Rotorua. "I thought if I can run around Rotorua, I can bike around Taupo. I've enjoyed cycling and have met a lot of friends."

Hughes will be among the up to 100 of the Manawatu Masters Club membership of 180 to ride at Taupo. Palmerston North's former national squash champion Charlie Waugh has ridden more than 20 times around Taupo and Graeme Murphy and Graeme Kemp more than 15 times.

The Lake Taupo ride started in 1977 with 26 cyclists.