Medical student demolishes women's Four Peaks record

Janet Rhodes loves a challenge.

Last Saturday, the 28-year-old smashed the women's record for the Four Peaks Challenge, completing the climb of Mt Taranaki, the Pouakai Range, the Kaitake Range and Paritutu Rock in 12 hours, 22 minutes and 19 seconds.

Not bad for someone who has only been in New Plymouth a matter of weeks.

The previous best women's time was 14hr30min, set in 1977 by New Plymouth's Kathy Ellis and Ann Sukolski. Ellis now lives in Wellington and Sukolski (now Blackburn) lives in Christchurch.

Rhodes, who is in her sixth year studying medicine at Auckland University, has just finished a five-week placement at Taranaki Base Hospital in the paediatrics ward.

"I'm originally from the Wairarapa but have been living in Auckland for some time. I love it down here. I've just been blown away ... I've been in Auckland too long," she said this week. "I'm an alpine girl and it's nice to be so close to the mountain."

Rhodes said she heard about the challenge and jumped at the chance.

"I was really happy with my time for a first attempt. It was a really long day," she said. "I didn't have the best of sleep the night before thinking about it. But it was great, I met so many nice people."

The challenge started at the North Egmont carpark at 6am. Two hours, 20 minutes later Rhodes was at the summit.

"I took it easy coming down. I was on the top of the Pouakais in 5 1/2 hours. By the time I got to Paritutu, it seemed pretty big."

Rhodes said she had lots of support on the day.

"A lot of people gave up their time to help me, people I had just met."

There's no rest for Rhodes this weekend. She's headed back north for an 18km round-the-coast trek on Waiheke Island. A few weeks later, she's going to tackle a 42km mountain run on Rangitoto Island.

"It's pretty much all I do for sport, otherwise I'd just sit on the couch."

The big one this year is the 38km Cape Brett Challenge.

"It's the hardest race I've ever done. I did it last year and it nearly killed me."

The men's Four Peaks Challenge record is 10hr10min, set by New Plymouth's Ian McAlpine in 1981.

Earlier this year, New Plymouth teenagers Hamish Fleming and Carl Garrett completed the event in 10hr18min.

- © Fairfax NZ News