Breca Wanaka
About this event
Breca Wanaka is New Zealand's original swimrun adventure through the rugged wilderness of the Southern Lakes District. Wanaka is a spectacular, challenging landscape for swimrun. Set against the backdrop of the Mt. Aspiring National Park, teams will pit themselves against deep, glacial water; pristine trails, island-hopping and lake crossings. There are two distances available, The Breca Wanaka and Breca Wanaka Sprint, so take your pick and get in on the action!
Raceday details
Your organiser
Imagine a sport that takes you to beautiful, wild places; over craggy hilltops, through mountain tarns, along rugged coastlines and across glittering lakes. Now picture doing all of that with friend by your side - two trailblazers together in the world of endurance sport.
Welcome to Breca, a series of extreme SWIMRUN adventure events. Join us to swimrun in some of the most challenging landscapes in the UK and New Zealand.
How to enter
What's included:
The Entry Fee Includes:
- swim cap
- finishers’ t-shirts
- finishers’ medals
- Prizes
- race timing
- race nutrition and hydration
- free event photography
45k
Swim 7.5km, Run 37.1km
17.8k
Swim 3.5km, Run 14.3km
Stay up-to-date
Be the first to review
Questions
What's on your mind? Past attendees and our team will be happy to answer your questions and help you prepare.
Route description
Route description
Breca Wanaka
Run: 37.1km; Swim: 7.5km; Transitions: 20; Total: 44.6km
Estimated completion time: 6-11 hours
- Terrain: trails, sections of technical running, rocky island crossings
- Swimming: rocky beach entries and exits, some technical transitions
- Difficulty: hard. To complete this race you need a high level of fitness
Breca Wanaka Sprint
Run: 14.3km; Swim: 3.5km; Transitions: 10; Total Length: 17.8km
Estimated completion time: 2-4 hours
- Terrain: trails, sections of technical running, rocky island crossings
- Swimming: rocky beach entries and exits, some technical transitions
- Difficulty: medium. To complete this race you need a medium to high level of fitness
Cut Offs
We use cut-off times to cap the time that each swim stage is open. Otherwise, our water safety teams would be out on the water for too long and we’d risk people swimming after dark. Also, we want to ensure that our entrants have a suitable level of fitness to safely undertake our courses. Consequently, cut off times will be strictly enforced. If you miss your cut off and continue to race you will be disqualified from this and all future Breca Swimrun events.
Breca Wanaka Checkpoints And Cut Offs
Checkpoint 1: Mount Burke Station | 8km from start | 10:20 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | sweets
Checkpoint 2: The Peninsula, NE | 15.2km from start | 11:45 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 3: Colquhouns Beach | 23.2km from start | 14:10 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | PURE gels | EM’s Power Cookies
Checkpoint 4: West Wanaka | 30.7km from start | 15:05 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | sweets | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 5: Fern Burn Delta | 39.2km from start | 16:20 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | PURE gels | EM’s Power Cookies | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 6: Damper Bay | 46.5km from start | 17:50 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | sweets | boiled new potatoes
Finish: Edgewater Hotel | 53km from start
Wanaka Sprint Checkpoints And Cut Offs
There are three fully-stocked checkpoints on the Wanaka Sprint course, viewable on the Course Map. The locations, distances and cut off times are listed below:
Checkpoint 1: Fern Burn Delta | 4.4km from start | 16:20 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | gels | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 2: Damper Bay | 11.8km from start | 17:50 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | sweets | boiled new potatoes
Finish: Edgewater Hotel | 19.4km from start
Course Marking
The courses will be fully waymarked and checkpoints and transitions will be manned by volunteers.
The event welcomes spectators. If you don't have a car, the easiest place to watch is along the lakefront at Wanaka, straight after the race start.
138 Tenby St, Wanaka 9305, New Zealand
Get directionsGetting There
Getting to Wanaka is easy. It’s a short, scenic 60-minute drive from Queenstown, the closest international airport, where you will find all major rental car companies and scheduled bus services that provide transport to Wanaka throughout the day.
Wanaka Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation in Wanaka, including apartments, motels, holiday homes, backpackers, hotels, B&Bs, camping and lodges. Wanaka Accommodation by Lake Wanaka Tourism lists all the providers.
Getting to the Race Starts
The Breca Wanaka races start at Glendhu Bay. Competitors will be transported there by coach from Edgewater Hotel. There are no changing facilities at Edgewater but you will be able to store drop bags from 07:00 – 07:20. Please arrive changed and ready to race. Aim to be on the coach by 07:25. If you miss it, you’ll miss the event.
Route description
Route description
Breca Wanaka
Run: 37.1km; Swim: 7.5km; Transitions: 20; Total: 44.6km
Estimated completion time: 6-11 hours
- Terrain: trails, sections of technical running, rocky island crossings
- Swimming: rocky beach entries and exits, some technical transitions
- Difficulty: hard. To complete this race you need a high level of fitness
Breca Wanaka Sprint
Run: 14.3km; Swim: 3.5km; Transitions: 10; Total Length: 17.8km
Estimated completion time: 2-4 hours
- Terrain: trails, sections of technical running, rocky island crossings
- Swimming: rocky beach entries and exits, some technical transitions
- Difficulty: medium. To complete this race you need a medium to high level of fitness
Cut Offs
We use cut-off times to cap the time that each swim stage is open. Otherwise, our water safety teams would be out on the water for too long and we’d risk people swimming after dark. Also, we want to ensure that our entrants have a suitable level of fitness to safely undertake our courses. Consequently, cut off times will be strictly enforced. If you miss your cut off and continue to race you will be disqualified from this and all future Breca Swimrun events.
Breca Wanaka Checkpoints And Cut Offs
Checkpoint 1: Mount Burke Station | 8km from start | 10:20 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | sweets
Checkpoint 2: The Peninsula, NE | 15.2km from start | 11:45 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 3: Colquhouns Beach | 23.2km from start | 14:10 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | PURE gels | EM’s Power Cookies
Checkpoint 4: West Wanaka | 30.7km from start | 15:05 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | sweets | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 5: Fern Burn Delta | 39.2km from start | 16:20 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | PURE gels | EM’s Power Cookies | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 6: Damper Bay | 46.5km from start | 17:50 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | sweets | boiled new potatoes
Finish: Edgewater Hotel | 53km from start
Wanaka Sprint Checkpoints And Cut Offs
There are three fully-stocked checkpoints on the Wanaka Sprint course, viewable on the Course Map. The locations, distances and cut off times are listed below:
Checkpoint 1: Fern Burn Delta | 4.4km from start | 16:20 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | bananas | gels | boiled new potatoes
Checkpoint 2: Damper Bay | 11.8km from start | 17:50 cut off
Hydration (water, PURE Sports electrolyte) | oranges | sweets | boiled new potatoes
Finish: Edgewater Hotel | 19.4km from start
Course Marking
The courses will be fully waymarked and checkpoints and transitions will be manned by volunteers.
The event welcomes spectators. If you don't have a car, the easiest place to watch is along the lakefront at Wanaka, straight after the race start.
138 Tenby St, Wanaka 9305, New Zealand
Get directionsGetting There
Getting to Wanaka is easy. It’s a short, scenic 60-minute drive from Queenstown, the closest international airport, where you will find all major rental car companies and scheduled bus services that provide transport to Wanaka throughout the day.
Wanaka Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation in Wanaka, including apartments, motels, holiday homes, backpackers, hotels, B&Bs, camping and lodges. Wanaka Accommodation by Lake Wanaka Tourism lists all the providers.
Getting to the Race Starts
The Breca Wanaka races start at Glendhu Bay. Competitors will be transported there by coach from Edgewater Hotel. There are no changing facilities at Edgewater but you will be able to store drop bags from 07:00 – 07:20. Please arrive changed and ready to race. Aim to be on the coach by 07:25. If you miss it, you’ll miss the event.