Classic entries fill fast

The top runners in the 38km Routeburn Classic are expected to finish in under three hours....
The top runners in the 38km Routeburn Classic are expected to finish in under three hours. Trampers are advised to allow two to three days to cover the same terrain. Photo by Felicity Wolfe.
The countdown is on for 225 runners who will race from one end of Routeburn Track to the other in the Routeburn Classic adventure race on May 9.

Entries for the 38km race, in its seventh year, were snapped up within 30 minutes of registration opening, and more than 100 athletes are on the waiting list.

Runners will begin at The Divide, near Milford Sound, at 8am and finish near Glenorchy.

The fastest athletes are expected to cross the finish line in just under three hours.

Event director Evan McWhirter, of Good Times Events, said the race had gained a loyal following, and with good reason. "It really is the most breathtaking adventure run in the country, and arguably the world.

"It generates worldwide interest and has significant appeal to both domestic and international athletes.

"Numbers are limited to meet safety requirements but it's become the source of running legend as previous competitors have spread their race stories around the globe.

"Many of those on the waiting list have a reasonable chance of gaining entry as athletes pull out because of injury, so it pays to keep up the training schedule and keep fingers crossed," Mr McWhirter said. A reserve day has been set for May 10.

 

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