The last-person-standing endurance event started at 9am on Saturday, with runners having to complete an hourly, 6.71km lap of the Arrow River Trail, restarting on the hour from Butlers Green.
By the Otago Daily Times’ deadline yesterday, only seven runners were still going out of the starting field of 150, having completed 32 laps, or 215km.
Of those, the only woman left was last year’s winner and third overall, Christchurch’s Hadani Woodruff.
Also still on the course were last year’s men’s winner, Dunedin’s Paul Maxwell, as well as Queenstown’s Paul Simpson.
The men’s record of 50 laps — or 335.5km — was set by Jeremy Pelvin in the inaugural event in 2023.
Co-organiser Brandon Purdue said he anticipated having runners on the course this morning, but was not predicting the overall winner because there were too many strong competitors left and "anything can happen".
"It’s a mental challenge as much as a physical challenge."
With fine, warm weather providing perfect conditions, the field was reduced to 25 runners after the first 24 hours.
A free race for children under 12 on Saturday attracted 70 runners.
