Taupo Ultramarathon

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About
We love running – the longer the better. After a long run one day a plan was hatched, one thing led to another and after a lot of hard work, the Taupo Ultramarathon was born.Taupo Ultramarathon event covers four distances – 24km, 50km, 74km, and 100km. The 24km, whilst not technically an ultra gives those new to the sport a taste of the experience.The Great Lake Trail is an epic journey that showcases the very best of what the Great Lake Taupo region has to offer – New Zealand’s largest lake, mountain ranges, rivers, waterfalls, and native forest.Of course, we’re biased, but we can vouch the course is absolutely stunning. Plus the Taupo Ultramarathon offers a once-a-year opportunity where runners can access the Great Lake Trail uninterrupted, including access over private land.
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100 km Solo/Relay, 74 km Solo, 50 km Solo, and 1 more
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Calendar
Sat, 12 Oct 2019
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Taupo, New Zealand
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Where and when
32a Roberts St, Taupo 3330, New Zealand
Saturday 12 Oct 2019
100 km Solo/Relay: 6:00 am74 km Solo: 8:00 am50 km Solo: 10:00 am24 km Solo: 12:00 pm
Event summary
Here are the distances available for Taupo Ultramarathon
100 km Solo/Relay
Distance
100km
NZD $227 - NZD $384
74 km Solo
Distance
74km
NZD $227 - NZD $317
50 km Solo
Distance
50km
NZD $153 - NZD $244
24 km Solo
Distance
24km
NZD $77 - NZD $110
Route information
24KM RUN / WALK
The 24km event is designed for people who want to know what all this Ultra fuss is about but haven't quite got the Ultra running bug. It's not an Ultra, but let's call it "mini" to get you hooked. It starts outside the Kinloch Hall on the Kinloch Domain and takes runners through the streets of Kinloch before sending them off into the wonderful Great Lakes W2K trails to the finishline at Whakaipo.
50KM RUN / WALK
The 50km event is designed for people who want to enter the world of Ultras and experience a whole lot of single trail bliss. It starts on Whangamata road at an airstrip which is on private land. Runners race along the airstrip, down some steep farmland before joining the wonderful Great Lakes K2K and W2K trails to the finishline at Whakaipo.
74KM RUN
The 74km event is designed for people who want to go intrepid and do something a little different. You get to ride the boat out West and run to your hearts content. It starts at Kotukutuku Bay on the Western shores of the lake. Runners then head up a serious climb before travelling through private farmland (access is only available for this event), doing a gnarly section of gravel and tarseal bashing before heading onto the airstrip and down on to the wonderful Great Lakes K2K and W2K trails to the finishline at Whakaipo.
100KM RUN
The 100km event is designed for people who want to do the full Monty and experience all that the Great Lakes Trails have to offer. It starts at Waihaha carpark on the Western shores of the lake. Runners then travel through private farmland (access is only available for this event), do a gnarly section of gravel and tarseal bashing before heading onto the airstrip and down on to the wonderful Great Lakes K2K and W2K trails to the finishline at Whakaipo.
Organiser route images
Train
How to get there
32a Roberts St, Taupo 3330, New Zealand
Get full directionsExternalLink
GETTING TO THE EVENT:
TRANSPORT TO TAUPO
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS FLYING INTO AUCKLAND AIRPORT.
Option 1: Rent a car or campervan and drive South to Taupo. It is a 3-4 hour drive from the airport depending on the traffic out of Auckland.
Option 2: Take a Shuttle bus from the Auckland Airport to Taupo.
Option 3: Bus from Auckland Airport to Taupo
Option 4: Fly from Auckland domestic airport to Taupo (30 mins)
Option 5: Put a post on our facebook page and see if you can get a ride with someone
ON THE DAY TRANSPORT
Bus tickets are available for purchase online. Leave your car at the Whakaipo Bay finish and get a bus to the start. If you are being dropped off at Whakaipo Bay, please make sure your driver waits until the bus has departed because the road in and out is narrow and we don't want those nasty traffic jams in little old Whakaipo Bay.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM TAUPO TO RACE STARTS
From Taupo to the 100km race start at Waihaha Bridge
(allow 45 mins to 1 hour from Taupo)
Head out of Taupo to the Thermal Explorer Highway go across the control gate bridge and head up the hill for 1km. Turn left into Poihipi Road, travel along Poihipi Road for approx 27.1 km then turn left into Marotiri Road travel along Marotiri Road for approx 5km. Turn left into SH32 travel approx 24 km along SH32 until you reach the Waihaha bridge and the start of the Waihaha section of the Great Lake Trail.
From Taupo to the 50km race start at the Airstrip Whangamata Road (allow 30 mins from Taupo)
Head out of Taupo to the Thermal Explorer Highway go across the control gate bridge and head up the hill for 1km. Turn left into Poihipi Road, travel along Poihipi Road for 9.7km, then turn left into Whangamata Road, travel along Whangamata road for approx 17.3 km until you see the event signs turning you into the Airstrip at 1654 Whangamata Road - just passed the carpark for the K2K Great lake trail. (see link)
From Taupo to the 24km start at Kinloch Domain (allow 20mins from Taupo)
Head out of Taupo to the Thermal Explorer Highway go across the control gate bridge and head up the hill for 1km. Turn left into Poihipi Road, travel along Poihipi Road for 9.7km, then turn left into Whangamata Road, travel along Whangamata road
From Taupo to the finishline at Whakaipo Bay (allow 15 mins from Taupo)
Head out of Taupo to the Thermal Explorer Highway go across the control gate bridge. Take the first exit on your left (follow the signs to Acacia Bay) travel along Acacia Bay road until you see Mapara Road on your right take Mapara road until you see a sign pointing to Whakaipo Bay and the start of the W2K trail. Travel down the narrow gravel road for about 1 km to the finishline. (please take care on this road as it is narrow and there will be traffic both ways)
From Taupo to the event village at Wairakei Resort (allow 10 mins from Taupo)
Head out of Taupo to the Thermal Explorer Highway go across the control gate bridge and follow the Thermal Explorer for 9.4 kms. The Wairakei Resort is on your right.
From Taupo to the relay changeover stations
Relay changeover point 1 - end of Hingarae Road. Head out of Taupo to the Thermal Explorer Highway go across the control gate bridge and head up the hill for 1km. Turn left into Poihipi Road, travel along Poihipi Road for approx 27.1 km then turn left into Marotiri Road travel along Marotiri Road for approx 5km. Turn left into SH32 travel approx 19 km along SH32 until you reach the Hingarae Road, travel along Hingarae road for 5.3km. Turn left into the farm and follow signs to parking.
Relay changeover point 2 - From Relay changeover point 1. Head out of Hingarae Road to SH32 turn right onto SH32 drive along SH32 for 10.2 km, then turn right into Whangamata Road, travel along Whangamata Road for 10.2kms until you see race signs for the 50 km start. Please take care on Whangamata road as there will be runners and traffic and this is a narrow winding road.
Relay changeover point 3 - Turn right out of the driveway into Whangamata Road. Drive 9.8km before turning right into Kinloch road (follow signs to Kinloch) after 2.1 km turn right to stay on Kinloch Road, turn left into the Domain carpark
(These are suggestions only, please consult a map for specific directions.)
Event day logistics
START TIMES
100km Ultra Marathon run Solo / Teams - 6:00am @ Waihaha carpark on State Highway 32 on Taupo's western bay
74km Ultra Marathon run - 8:00am @ Kotukutuku Bay*
50km Trail Run / Walk - 10:00am @ Airstrip on Whangamata Road just past the K2K carpark
24km Trail Run/Walk - 12:00pm @ Kinloch Domain, Kinloch
*Boat access only. Participants must get the 6:15am boat from the Taupo Boat Harbour - cost included in entry fee. For more info about getting to start location see the
REGISTRATION
Where: Wairakei Resort Taupo, 640 Wairakei Drive, Taupo
When: Friday 11 October, between 4pm and 9pm
*Note: Registration is also available for the 24km and 50km participants at the startline.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
All competitors must get their complusory gear checked by the event team before registering.
All 74km and 100km participants must be weighed prior to registering by our medical team.
DROP BAGS
Where: Wairakei Resort Taupo
When: 4pm-8pm
Although we encourage participants to have supporters and spectators on the course it is not essential to have a support crew. On the course dropbags are available for all 100 km, 74 km and 50km solo runners. All participants can make use of the finish line drop bag service.
How the drop bag service works:
At registration collect the appropriate drop bag label from our registration team . Then place your filled and clearly labelled dropbags and finish-line bags into the appropriate bin. Dropbags must be deposited at race registration before 8pm Friday. Please do not use the dropbag service for any Aid Stations where your support crew will be attending. If you have a dropbag at an Aid Station you will be asked to move it from the ‘unused pile’ to the ‘used pile’ even if you did not use your dropbag. This allows us to transport your dropbags quickly back to the finish-line once they have been used.
Dropbag Collection after the event
Dropbags from across the course will be available at the drop bag tent at the finish-line. You will be able to collect these by providing your race number to our volunteers at the Dropbag Collection desk in the tent at the finish-line. If for you are not able to collect your dropbag from the finish-line on race day, these will be available at the Wairakei resort before and during the prizegiving on Sunday. Dropbags not collected at prizegiving should be picked up from 43a Matai St, Taupo before you leave town.
DROPBAG LOCATIONS
Dropbags 100km - map
Drop bag 1 – End of Hingarae road
Checkpoint 33km
Drop bag 2 – Airstrip
Checkpoint 50km
Drop bag 3 – Kinloch Hall
Checkpoint 77km
Dropbags 74km - map
Drop bag 1 – Airstrip
Checkpoint 27km
Drop bag 2 – Kinloch Hall
Checkpoint 50km
Dropbags 50km - map
Drop bag 1 – Kinloch Hall
Checkpoint 26km
EVENT BRIEFINGS
74KM AND 100KM COMPETITORS
This briefing is compulsory for all participants. At the briefing we will go over all the logistics of the event and well as cover the all-important health and safety and medical aspects of the event.
Where: Wairakei Resort Taupo
When: 6.00pm and 8.00pm Friday 11th
BRIEFING TIME FOR 24KM COMPETITORS 11.45AM ON STARTLINE
The race briefing for all 24km competitors will be held prior to the race start at the Kinloch Domain on Saturday morning.
Where: Startline, Kinloch Domain
When: 11.45am, Saturday 12th
BRIEFING TIME FOR 50KM COMPETITORS 9.45AM ON STARTLINE
The race briefing for all 50km competitors will be held prior to the race start at the Aistrip on Whangamata Road on Saturday morning.
Where: Startline, Airstrip on Whangamata Road
When: 9.45am, Saturday 12th
Crowds
Spectator Info
In addition to the start and finish, there are the following spectator points.
100km - four points: Waihaha Road, Hingarae Road, Whangamata Road, Kinloch (mulitple viewpoints) - all at aid stations
74km - three locations: Hingarae Road, Whangamata Road, Kinloch (multiple viewpoints) - all at aid stations
50km - one location: Kinloch (multiple viewpoints)
24km - none except for the start and finish areas as it's all on single trail!
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