the 100km.

INCLUDING THE ATHLETICS NZ Long Trail CHAMPIONSHIPS

6AM & 12PM FRIDAY 4 DECEMBER | THE TRAILS OF WHAKATU-NELSON

Why the 100km?


Get ready to redefine what it means to truly experience the essence of trail running nirvana and push the boundaries of your mind, body, and spirit. 

The course.

Your journey kicks off on Selwyn Place, running down Trafalgar Street before joining the picturesque Maitai River Trail at the Trafalgar St bridge. Trace the river to your first gradual ascent from Waahi Taakaro Golf Course to Sharland Hill and the Tantragee Saddle, serving as a gentle warm-up for what lies ahead. A descent to Brook Street leads to the challenging climb up New Zealand's inaugural railway to Third House Hut.

Traversing along the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary fence-line to Jenkins Hill, runners emerge from the dense forest to breathtaking vistas of the Barnicoat Range. 

Descend to Saxton Field, where your second crewed aid station awaits for a well-earned reprieve. Refuel here, as the next stretch takes you back up the Barnicoat Range via the Silvan Mountain Bike Park. You'll climb the gradual bike trails to the summit before a forested descent towards the Roding River. From there, venture into the wilderness along the rugged Hacket Track, heading towards the remote Hacket Hut.

Entering the renowned Te Araroa Walkway, participants tackle formidable climbs and challenging terrain to Browning Hut, Totara Saddle, and Rocks Hut, immersing themselves in the untouched beauty of Mount Richmond Forest Park. 

Bid farewell to the Te Araroa trail at Rocks Hut, as a challenging ascent to Dun Saddle awaits, culminating in a hand-on-knees rock scramble to conquer the summit.

From Dun Mountain, climb over Little Twin, then relish in the sharp descent towards Dew Lakes, Rush Pools, and the Maitai Dam, before descending the Maitai Valley on the Pipeline Trail. 

Ascending once more to Tantragee Saddle, participants pass through this natural gateway before descending to the Brook St aid station, then ascending to the infamous Grampians ridge-line. The final descent awaits as runners navigate a heart-pounding descent to Church Hill. Formerly known as Pikimai, a revered Maori Pa, this sacred site has been transformed into a towering cathedral. It is just a few hundred metres from this sacred site where the finish line awaits on Selwyn Place.

ELEVATION DATA:

Total Ascent: ~4000m
Max Elevation: 1135m

LAND ACCESS:

If you’re running parts of the course for training, please make sure you know which land is public land and which is private land and the requirements for accessing them before your run. Some sections of the course are on private land will require a permit in order to access it. In particular, Hira Forest and the Richmond Forest, between Barnicoat Range and Hacket Car Park, and parts of Sharlands Hill are Tasman Pine land and require a permit. Sections may also be closed at certain times so please check before you run.

THe important stuff.

What you get

  • Race number

  • Race cap

  • Official race shirt

  • Finishers medal

  • On-course photography (pay what you want post-race)

  • Access to aid stations

  • Drop bag service

  • Medical support

  • Goodies from some of our favourite local businesses

  • Great vibes

Prizes

All finishers: All finishers will receive a wooden finishers medal.

Top 3: Top three male and female finishers overall will receive a prize.

Spot Prizes: We love a good spot prize almost as much as we love a good race pack, so we’ve partnered with some generous local businesses to bring you some epic spot prizes. Spot prizes will be randomly distributed in race packs, so if you find a little something extra in there - congratulations - you’ve won!

Photos

We have a talented team of photographers out on the course taking epic shots for the gram, or for the wall if you’re a little more old school! A link to race photos can be found on the Results page after the race.

The rules.

The Safety Info.

CUT OFF TIMES

We do not have any mandatory qualification standards. However, the 100km is extremely challenging and enters mountainous environments.  

To enter you must have adequate fitness, mountain running or hiking experience to complete the course in the available time. 

A Race Cut Off*: 18 hrs (this start is for those with an estimated finishing time under 18 hrs). It is recommended that if you believe you will be close to the cut off time, that you start in the B race.

B Race Cut Off*: 26 hrs (this start is for those with an estimated finishing time between 18-26 hrs)

START WAVES

We have purposely designed the schedule with two different start times for the 100km to allow participants to take on this challenging distance at their own pace. Due to the differing start times and the potential for each group to face different conditions out on the course, if you wish to be eligible for the podium, you must start in the A start and compete head-to-head, ensuring a level playing field.

It is up to each athlete to determine which start time is appropriate for them. 

AID STATIONS

Aid stations will be available on the course. There will be a mix of crewed and field aid stations. You can find more info here.