for internal bleeding caused by her pain medication. She still competed, coming a "disappointing" tenth place in the cross country race after having hoped for a higher finish. 1990 Xerox Challenge The next race was just around the corner, and it was a big one. The 1990 Xerox Challenge was organised by Robin Judkins as one of the sporting events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. It was by far the hardest; the 22-day multi-sport event covered the length of the country—from Cape Reinga to Bluff—and included road cycling, kayaking, running, and mountain biking. There were 67 competitors, including 6 women, who embarked on the challenge. While Lynch was the favourite for the women, she soon developed severe tendonitis and the race doctor threatened to pull her from the race if she refused to take an anti-inflammatory. She had no option but to take the medication if she wanted to remain in the race, and promptly ended up in Wellington Hospital from the reaction to the medication. Fortunately for her, the fellow competitors were stuck in nearby Mākara Beach, waiting for the weather in Cook Strait to settle enough to enable the kayak section. After two days, organisers abandoned the plan for the kayak section and Lynch was well enough to rejoin the race. The event featured every night on prime time TV and by the end of it, the two winners had become household names in New Zealand: Lynch, and Steve Gurney. It was Lynch's hardest race over her entire career and contributes to her being regarded as a "legend" of the New Zealand mountain bikers. Coast to Coast and Karapoti Classic Over the next few years, her movements in New Zealand were arranged around the most important national races. She won the Coast to Coast a record five times (1991–1994, 1996), the national mountain bike series every year until aged 40, and the Karapoti Classic all eight times that she started. In 1994, after being pushed by Susan DeMattei through the whole race, Lynch set a new race record at the Karapoti Classic that stood for 13 years. At the 1995 Karapoti Classic, she defeated the world number 2 – Caroline Alexander. European road and cross country events, 1991 On the international stage, Lynch tried to participate in the most important road and mountain bike events. She spent several weeks in