Virgin Gorda Half Marathon record holder TJ Hindes of St John, USVI returned to the Virgin Islands on Saturday December 19, 2015 and established the course record for the 11.65 mile inaugural Ring of Fire presented by KPMG. Photo: Alastair Abrehart/Facebook

Jenny McIvor, seen here on the first loop, was first for ladies. Photo: Alastair Abrehart/Facebook

Athletes making their way up the steep but scenic Cane Garden Bay Hill on the first loop of the Ring of Fire on December 19, 2015. Photo: Alastair Abrehart/Facebook

Hindes was able to hold off the challenge of Reuben J. A. Stoby to complete the gruelling 2-lap course in just around 1 hour and 45 minutes, while Stoby who had a two-minute lead on Hindes after the first lap finished second in 1 hour 51 minutes.

Rodrigo dos Santos was third in 2 hours.

Jenny McIvor was first for ladies, Kerry-Ann dos Santos was second, and Natasha Ruscheinski third.

Billed as a teaser for the 2016 Tortola Torture, the run featured an 11.65 mile reverse loop with 3.546 feet of climbing and 3.546 feet of descending. The race was 44% uphill, 44% downhill and just 12% on flat ground.

Athletes took off at Elm Beach Bar in Cane Garden Bay, headed up Cane Garden Bay hill to Rudy’s Bar and turned right along the Ridge Road, following the road to the Sage Mountain T-junction and turned right down Windy Hill and all the way back to the starting point for one loop. The second loop was done in the other direction.