New Zealand's Motatapu Ultra Run
The Motatapu Ultra Run held March 7 featured a 52km course with 3,000 meters of elevation gain across four major climbs. The highest point at Jack Halls Saddle reaches 1,275 meters, combining endurance challenge with breathtaking New Zealand scenery. The event attracts both elite and amateur trail runners.
Local athlete Luke Wilson conquered the men's 52km Ultra Run, finishing in 6:14:59 and improving on his 2024 runner-up position by nearly an hour. In the women's race, Hannah Wall defended her title with a commanding time of 6:54:04, finishing more than an hour ahead of the next competitor. The victories came during a day of fierce competition, but the long-standing course records remained unbroken. Wall has expressed her intent to return to challenge the women's record of 6:38:04, set by Ruth Croft in 2018. The Motatapu event, which began in 2005, provides a rare opportunity for athletes to traverse the private Motatapu, Soho, and Glencoe Stations. This exclusive access allows runners to follow a historic route used by early Māori for transportation and food gathering. More than 2,700 competitors participated in the 2026 event across five different races, including the Ultra Run, a 42km Trail Marathon, a 47km Mountain Bike race, a 15km Miner's Trail, and a 4km Junior Trail Run. The event has grown significantly from its inaugural year, which saw 1,000 participants. A portion of every entry fee is donated to the Queenstown Trails Trust, the event's official charity partner. To date, this partnership has raised over $90,000 to help maintain and develop more than 200km of trails in the Wakatipu Basin.
