Queenstown mountain bike rider Mark Williams continued his outstanding sporting year by winning the individual solo category in the inaugural 7 Hours Of 7 Mile endurance race on Saturday.
A total of 22 teams and 10 solo riders raced on a 6.7km circuit within the Seven Mile reserve, with the transition area at Wilson Bay, on the Queenstown-Glenorchy Rd.
Williams completed 17 laps and clocked up 113km and won despite a spectacular crash near the finish.
Queenstown-based Vivian Espie won the men's team category on single-speed bikes, completing 18 laps and riding 127km.
Queenstown's Three Chicks won the women's section after riding 13 laps and 87km.
Queenstown-based 7 Mile High Club won the mixed team category, with 16 laps and 107km.
Participants from Wakatipu, Alexandra, Dunedin, Invercargill, Christchurch, one from the North Island and another from the United Kingdom competed as teams of up to four people or as individuals.
The event raised about $2500 in entry fees, which will go towards future trail developments by the Queenstown Mountain Bike Club.
Club committee member Carey Vivian said 7 Hours Of 7 Mile was likely to become an annual fixture, and a similar endurance race was proposed for the Jardine Park reserve bike trail, on Kelvin Heights once that network was finished.
