12,500 runners heading for this weekend's marathon

More than 12,500 registered runners are set to descend on the Queenstown Lakes District this Saturday, 16 November for the 10-year anniversary edition of the Queenstown marathon.

The event is set to welcome the highest number of registered marathoners in its 10-year history at more than 3,000 participants, once again making it the event with the largest marathon field in the country.

Founded just over 10 years ago, the New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty Queenstown Marathon presented by ASICS was an immediate success, establishing itself as a world-renowned destination event that catered as much to the weekend away experience as the race itself.

From year one, the event has attracted thousands of international participants and many more from all over New Zealand. In 2024, entrants represent 91 different nationalities who make up almost 30% of entries – the highest in the event’s 10-year history.

In total, nearly 90% of participants attending the event are coming from outside of the Queenstown Lakes District, with the event expected to inject around $20 million into the regional economy over the coming week.

Amy MacCormack, Queenstown Marathon Regional Director, said the event provides a great opportunity for runners to spend the weekend in this incredible region centred around being active.

“We are just days away from the 10^th running of the Queenstown Marathon and can’t wait to welcome thousands of runners and their supporters to this stunning part of the world,” said MacCormack. “This event has truly become an annual highlight on the running calendar, as people from near and far flock to the region for a weekend of running, adventure, and great food and drink.

“Between the beautiful trails and scenery, friendly atmosphere and idyllic location, this event holds a special place in the hearts of many people, and we’re excited to add another chapter to it this year. It’s great to see so many past participants coming back to be a part of these celebrations, as well as lots of new faces – it’s certainly going to be a weekend to remember,” she said.

The Queenstown Marathon will see thousands of runners take on one of four distances, with the New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty Marathon, La Roche Posay Half Marathon, 10km and Kids Run all on offer.

The courses take in the best highlights of the region along the stunning Queenstown trail network including Millbrook, Arrowtown, Arrow River, Lake Hayes, Old Shotover Bridge, Twin Rivers trail, Lake Wakatipu, and Queenstown Gardens.

Mark Harris, Managing Director and Co-Founder of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty, said: “As proud title sponsors of the Queenstown Marathon, we are again looking forward to welcoming participants to Queenstown for another wonderful event. It is exciting to see the growth of the marathon each year, this year we welcome 12,500 registered attendees from across New Zealand, and afar, to discover the beauty on offer as they run this track.

“Contributing to the Queenstown economy and supporting local businesses operators is what makes this event an integral part of the calendar for us. Events like this are key to the growth of the community, offering a unique experience for visitors and locals alike to enjoy our breathtaking landscapes, while positively impacting the revenue generation of the region.”

The 2024 Queenstown Marathon gets underway on Saturday with the 10km from 7:30am. The La Roche Posay Half Marathon begins at 8:00am followed by the New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty Marathon at 8:20am. The last event of the day is the Kids Run which kicks off at 1:00pm.

Elites to Watch

While the Queenstown Marathon is an event that focuses on runners and walkers of all ages and abilities, it does attract some of New Zealand’s leading distance runners.

Most notably, five-time champion Hannah Oldroyd will return to defend the women’s title. If she wins on Saturday, the Christchurch-based British runner will etch her name further into the history books on the 10-year anniversary of the event by securing her sixth Queenstown Marathon title, and fourth on the bounce.

In the men’s marathon, Cameron Avery will line up as the hot favourite. The Cantabrian’s list of accolades is impressive, with Avery currently New Zealand’s top-ranked male marathon runner and the seventh fastest Kiwi of all time over the marathon distance, with a PB of 2:10:52 set this year at the Vienna Marathon. With most of his achievements coming overseas, Avery is set to make his domestic marathon debut and is going all out to secure not only the Queenstown Marathon title, but the course record too.

Meanwhile in the half marathon, former winners are back on the start line hoping to once again claim victory. In the women’s race, 2022 Queenstown Half Marathon champion Amy Cogle is back for her second crack at the title, with the Australian likely to face competition from her compatriot Madeline Heiner, an Olympic Games representative. The men’s half marathon features three former champions in the shape of Jack Moody (2020, 2022), Mike Phillips (2016), and Adam Jaques (2014), winner of the inaugural Queenstown Half Marathon 10 years ago.

2024 Facts & Figures

Over 12,500 registered participants taking part across five distances
Highest number of registered marathoners in 10-year history at more than 3,000, once again making it the event with the largest marathon field in the country
Women make up 58% of the field while men make up 42%
38 is the average age of participants
The youngest runner is five years old, while the oldest is 88 years old
73% of participants are first timers to the event
89% of participants are travelling to the event from outside the Queenstown-Lakes District
Canterbury (19%) is the most represented region, followed by Otago (18%)
Entrants represent 91 different countries
International athletes make up 28% of entries – up almost 10% on last year
The most represented nations are New Zealand, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Japan
44 Founding Runners will return to the event this year, having taken part in every edition of the Queenstown Marathon since 2014
The event is expected to inject around $20 million in economic benefit to the region
700 volunteers will help make the event a success

For more information and last-minute entries into the New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty Queenstown Marathon presented by ASICS visit https://queenstown-marathon.co.nz/