Top athletes including Hannah Wall, Luke Wilson, and Kate Boe will be on the start line alongside competitors of all levels at next month’s Motatapu.

The annual event will take place on Saturday March 7 across the Motatapu, Soho, and Glencoe high-country stations - private land which is open to the public for one day only.

Motatapu race director Gemma Peskett said she was excited to have so many top athletes taking part in the event’s 15th edition, many of them returning.

“Motatapu has always been about bringing people together - from elite athletes to first-timers,” she said. 

“Seeing around 2,500 people line up next month, all with their own reasons for being there, is what makes this event so special.”

Hannah Wall will lead the women’s 52km Rab Ultra Run after dominating the 2025 race, finishing over 40 minutes ahead of her nearest rival. 

Meanwhile Luke Wilson returns after finishing second in 2024 and winning the Miners Trail in 2025, and 47km Mountain Bike course record holder Kate Boe is back.

Other athletes to watch are Chester Holt Quick, who was fourth in the Ultra in 2025, and Benje Patterson, who is stepping up to the Ultra after winning the Trail Marathon last year.

In the 47km Mountain Bike race, Michaela Rogan and Lily Havard, transitioning from road racing, will join Kate, along with veteran Kim Hurst and Danielle Donaldson. 

In the men’s race, Enduro World Cup racer Matthew Fairbrother is the favourite, chasing Dirk Peters’ 2013 course record of 1:47:53.

The Trail Marathon will also feature Hamish Elliott and Edward Eaton. The women’s field includes Marina Ferguson, Crystal Brindle, and former Motatapu Marathon champion Mel Aitken.

The Miners Trail will offer prize money for the first time, with $500 for the first male and female finishers. Men’s entrants include Cameron Swales and Sagar Khemani; women’s competitors include defending champion Hayley Holmes, Katie Morgan, Jessie Speedy, and course record holder Sarah Douglas.

While elite performances headline the event, Motatapu remains open to all abilities, Gemma said.

“With the right preparation, each course is achievable - for those racing for a podium, chasing a personal goal, or simply soaking up the scenery.”

PHOTO: Neil Kerr