Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon event director Adrian
Bailey arrives at the Moke Lake finish area of the new
adventure event, to be held on February 4. Photo by Joe
Dodgshun.
Despite entries for Queenstown's new Shotover Moonlight
Mountain Marathon only opening today, the race has already
caught the attention of running aficionados from around the
world.
The starting gun will sound for the inaugural 5km, 10km,
half-marathon and marathon event on February 4, with
participants making their way through a mystery course
between Skippers Canyon and Moke Lake.
Race organiser Adrian Bailey, founder of Queenstown event
co-ordinating company Active Qt, was excited about what he
hoped would be an annual event.
"We put up a teaser trailer on Friday evening because we've
had interest from France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria,
the States, Australia and New Zealand," Bailey said.
"We're just co-ordinating the final details, but the race
itself is entirely on the beautiful, private Ben Lomond
Station."
Up to 400 marathon participants will meet at Moke Lake,
leaving their vehicles to be transported to the start of the
course.
Participants in the other races will begin at Moke Lake.
Beginning at the Skippers Canyon Pipeline Bungy, the marathon
course makes its way through the canyon, water races, across
mountain bluffs and up on to the Moonlight Track.
From there, runners will make their way to the finish at Moke
Lake, where, organisers say, a festive family atmosphere will
welcome finishers at the Ben Lomond woolshed.
Bailey said it had been about six years since Queenstown's
last marathon, so it was great to create a "destination
marathon" on the private land of the Ben Lomond Station,
owned by John and Ginny Foster.
"From what I've heard, the fact that we now have a marathon
in the area means it's attractive for people who want to come
for an adventure in the race and then do everything else in
Queenstown as well."
Another Active Qt event, Race the Train, already has about
150 participants signed up to pit themselves against the
recently relaunched Kingston Flyer.
Bailey said there were another 150 places for people who
wanted to take the steam train from Kingston to the starting
line at Fairlight, with shuttles available for those who miss
out.
While he said the response so far was "brilliant", he
expected more entries for the January 8 event after
Christmas.
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