Mayor congratulates Cycle Challenge on award

23 July 2015

Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge winning a national award is testament to the event's fantastic organisation and huge national and international profile, says Taupo District Mayor David Trewavas.

The event that sees cyclists circumnavigate the 160km around Lake Taupo won the award for the Best New Zealand Owned Major Event at the annual New Zealand Association of Event Professionals (NZAEP) Event Awards in Wellington. The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge was joint winner with the Auckland NRL Nines.

Mr Trewavas said the hard working team behind the event and the nearly 800 volunteers who helped out with it each year were to be congratulated.

It just confirms what we've been saying for years - the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is one of New Zealand's most iconic events, he said. It ticks all the boxes. It is great for our economic development, it means thousands of visitors coming to the district each November, it involves a wonderful volunteer base and has an excellent trust running it.

Mr Trewavas said it was fitting the event organisers had been recognised for their efforts.

This is an event we look forward to every year. The amount of time and effort that goes into holding the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is massive and the organisers are so deserving of this award.

The award was judged on the events vision and innovation, national and international participation, stakeholder engagement, good event management practices, financial sustainability and economic impact. Event Director Kay Brake was at the NZAEP Event Awards to receive the accolade.

The 2014 event contributed about $7 million to the Taupo District and about 1200 international visitors came to New Zealand specifically to take part in the event.

Entries for this year's Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge to be held on Saturday, November 28 are now open at www.cyclechallenge.com

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