While the legs were burning and bodies exhausted, 200 cyclists concluded the sixth annual Hell of the North event was gruelling but enjoyable. Auckland cyclist Jonathan Atkinson conquered the 105km main race, breaking away early after the start at Tutukaka, heading out towards Hikurangi. Following his third placing in the Round Taranakiroad race recently, Atkinson held onto his lead and rode the rest of the race on his own, crossing the line in a great time of 2 hours, 57.59 seconds. Fellow Aucklander Lathan Croft was next home two and a half minutes later, with Whangarei's Darren Johnston in third. Organiser Murray Healy said it was the first time this particular course - which started and finished in Tutukaka, headed out to Hikurangi and then back to the Tutukaka Coast again - was used since the event started six years ago. "That's a good time for this course as it is hilly and difficult in parts. "Everyone found the second climb out from Sandy Bay hard but overall people said they really enjoyed the course - and we wouldn't change anything." The first woman home was Phillipa McDonald who clocked in with 3:23, while Summer Allens was second and last year's winner Arwen Page was third. McDonald now lives in Auckland but used to live in Whangarei, while Allens and Paige are both locals. "It was good the top three were all locals ... we had a good turnout of local riders, a few more than we were expecting," Healy said. Tutukaka Coastal Promotions and Schnapper Rock Cafe supplied all the marshalls for the event and with their support, Healy said the race would definitely go ahead again next year.
