Maria Mays (left) and Reuben J. A. Stoby neck to neck in the final mile of the Ring of Fire on December 18, 2016. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Maria Mays powering up Cane Garden Bay Hill. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Competitiors in the Ring of Fire make their way up the unforgiving Cane Garden Bay Hill. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Athletes prepare to take on the Ring of Fire. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Kay Reddy and Russell Crumpler during the Ring of Fire. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Vincent Fournier being pursued by Adam DeMonte and Richard Morgan. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Stoby (left) collects his winning prize, a fuel belt, from Richard Morgan. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Second overall and first for women in the Ring of Fire, Maria Mays. Photo: Tortola Torture/Facebook

Stoby prevailed in the end but by mere seconds over the hill climbing specialist Mays who was second overall and first for women.

Some 10 starters were up for up for the challenge but it was Mays and Vincent Fournier who took the early lead but Stoby was able to catch them on the descent.

Mays would overtake Stoby on the second loop and then it became a cat and mouse affair with Stoby overtaking Mays some 200m before the finish to win in 1:57.05. Mays clocked 1:57.23 while Fournier was third overall in 2:01.17.

Fourth overall was Guyp Dubois, fifth Richard Morgan, sixth Claudia Ferrari, seventh Kay Reddy, eighth Kerry-Ann Dos Santos, ninth Tia Beckman and tenth David Matthews.

Six persons chose to do one loop of the course, with Adam DeMonte emerging the winner ahead of Shane Donovan and Russel Crumpler.

Last year’s winner and course record holder TJ Hindes of St John, US Virgin Islands did not compete.

The Ring of Fire is dubbed a taste of the Tortola Torture. That event is slated for April 22, 2017.

See link for complete results.

http://tortolatorture.com/kpmg-ring-of-fire/