Today (Saturday February 1) marks one month until the Motatapu race takes place.

The annual event attracts sportspeople who run, walk or ride on trails that pass through the Motatapu, Soho and Glencoe stations.

The Motatapu is known as the bucket-list off-road event, attracting elite athletes, weekend warriors, first-time competitors and junior runners - and this year’s competitors promise a range of exciting races.

On the start line this year for the Rab 52km Ultra Run will be Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist in track cycling, Eddie Dawkins, who has recently taken up running ultra marathons. 

Pro-mountain bike racer Katy Winton, who has represented the UK and Scotland on the world circuit of Enduro, is also taking on the Ultra Run.

Second-place finisher in the women’s 2024 Ultra, Hannah Wall, is back for a rematch and no doubt keen to see if she can bring her previous run time of 08:09:18 any closer to mountain running legend Ruth Croft’s course record of 6:38:04.

Majell Backhausen, who won the 2017 Ultra in an impressive time of 06:27:07, has also thrown his hat back in the ring and will be chasing down Weston Hill’s record-setting time of 06:04:05 from 2023.

The Motatapu will feature five adult events (the 52km Rab Ultra Run, the 42km Allpress Espresso Trail Marathon, the 47km Mondraker Mountain Bike, the 47km Mondraker E-Bike and the 15km UDC Finance Miners Trail) plus the kid-friendly 4km Jennian Homes Junior Trail Run. PHOTO: Supplied

Meanwhile in the Mondraker 47km Mountain Bike Kim Hurst will be one to watch in the women’s mountain bike field, with multiple wins at the Karapoti Classic and the Whaka 100 to her name, plus several national and world championship titles.

Third place finisher in last year’s 47km Motatapu Mountain Bike event, 15-year-old Levi Gear is on a mission to shave an extra 10 minutes off his time and beat Anton Cooper’s 2010 result of 1:58:28. He’ll need to get past former Junior and U23 National MTB Champion Cameron Jones who is also taking on Motatapu for the first time this year. 

These competitors are among the professional athletes who will make up some of the 2,500 people signed up to take part in the five adult races at the Motatapu (there’s also a 4km Junior Trail Run for kids).

There will also be family groups, first-timers, and returnees who have competed every year since the event’s inception.

Motatapu race director Gemma Peskett said she’s pleased with how registrations have been tracking.

The 52km Rab Ultra Run is sold out but it’s not too late to throw your hat in the ring for the other races. Find all the race details and entry information here.