Out of Stadia Events

The NZ Cross Country Championships allows promising junior athletes (the best in their regions) to compete for junior titles, along with seniors and masters races. A true community event, this event always brings enthusiastic local participants together with high performance, elite athletes.

This event is sure to attract the best talent from around the country and from overseas. Hosted at a range of venues, this annual event is a crowd pleaser, and always attracts great spectator support.

For more than 45 years, the NZ Road Relay Championships have been one of our high energy events. The race format is a multi-lap circuit race, typically 50km in distance.  To keep spirits high, the race design has a festival type atmosphere, with pit lane stops creating an all-action, high energy zone to keep athletes motivated. 

Spectators and athlete support crews feel part of the action with live entertainment to keep them going in between laps, as well as electronic leaderboard updates and live footage from other vantage points around the course. This event offers a variety of distances for multiple race grades and an even running surface for optimal running performances.

For road runners and race walkers across New Zealand, the NZ 10k Road Champs & Walks Championships is a key event on their race calendar. There are typically two race events (sub 39 minutes and 39+ minute events).

This road race is usually based on a loop track, so athletes can check their lap times throughout the race. Loop tracks allow great spectator interaction with both runners and walkers, creating a great atmosphere for those competing and watching.

The New Zealand Road Mile Championships is a thrilling contest where athletes compete over the classic mile distance on a road course. The road mile offers a different challenge to its track counterpart, with slight inclines, turns, and varying road surfaces testing the runners' speed and tactics. Known for its fast-paced, high-energy action, this event attracts middle-distance specialists aiming to showcase their tactical prowess and explosive finishing speed. The race is often decided in a dramatic final sprint, making it a fan favorite.

The New Zealand 5km Road Championships is a fast and furious race, with competitors racing through a 5km course on public roads. This event is ideal for middle-distance runners and those transitioning from the track to road racing. With a shorter distance, the pace is intense from the start, creating an exciting spectacle for spectators. Elite runners battle for national medals while club runners strive for personal bests. The shorter nature of the race allows for explosive finishes, with victory often decided in the final sprint to the line.

The New Zealand Marathon Championships is the premier event for long-distance road runners in the country, taking place over the classic marathon distance of 42.195km. Elite athletes and amateur runners alike vie for the national title, with the race typically held on scenic courses that highlight New Zealand’s landscapes. The marathon is a true test of endurance, mental toughness, and strategy, with competitors needing to pace themselves over the long distance while fending off fatigue. It’s a prestigious event that crowns the nation’s best marathon runners.

The New Zealand Marathon Championships is the premier event for long-distance road runners in the country, taking place over the classic marathon distance of 42.195km. Elite athletes and amateur runners alike vie for the national title, with the race typically held on scenic courses that highlight New Zealand’s landscapes. The marathon is a true test of endurance, mental toughness, and strategy, with competitors needing to pace themselves over the long distance while fending off fatigue. It’s a prestigious event that crowns the nation’s best marathon runners.

Trail runners will be eagerly anticipating this spring running event. This event is hosted at a variety of stunning locations each year, where hills, uneven terrain and amazing scenery are always a feature. Often combining a number of courses to suit different abilities and age ranges, this event will challenge our best runners.  

Running at elevation is a lesson in endurance. This national event also acts as a selection trial for the annual World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. Spectator and fan support is welcomed and much appreciated by participating athletes. This is a must attend event if it’s coming to your local town!

Long distance trail runners - this is the event for you! Usually involving altitude, this is a mind over matter event that will see athletes scaling hills, navigating tricky terrain and (hopefully) enjoying the epic views along the way. This event is a 100km distance range, and usually involves a few thousand metres of elevation.

We’ll have first aid stations, bag drop services and food and beverages on site to ensure your event experience is a positive one. The course is likely to combine a mix of sealed roads, gravel, grass and rock elements. Spectators are welcome but may have limited viewing opportunities due to the nature of the course.

Based in Dunedin, the NZ Short Trail Championships has been going for over 40 years. The 55km event within the 3 Peaks Mountain Race is the NZ Short Trail Championships event. This event is known as 3 Peaks Plus 1, as it combines trail running up and down the peaks of  Flagstaff (668m), Swampy (739m) and Mt Cargill (676m) and the Silverpeaks, Pulpit Rock (760m).

Runners will enjoy trails through native bush, panoramic views, and a mix of trails through Dunedin’s remote trails and hills. The start and finish line are only 4km from the city centre, so could serve as a nice, easy warm up jog from your accommodation. The accessibility of this race to city amenities make this a superb event for participants and their supporters.

The ultimate in endurance running is obviously the ultramarathon. On offer at this event, you’ll find the 50km, the 100km and 4 person relay options. Importantly, this race has a flat course, and is well set up with first aid stations, food and drink options around the course. 

The race is typically a lap event, so lap counters are needed, and spectator support is encouraged. Although novices and first time ultramarathon participants are welcomed, typically these runners would be affiliated with an athletics club in New Zealand. Family support, athletics club support and athletic fans are warmly invited to cheer on these ultra athletes!