Another disappointment for athletes and the event industry as the Macpac Motatapu has been cancelled for 2022.

Organisers have cancelled the event due to the COVID 19 red settings. 

“We know we have such an amazing and committed athlete whānau and we really went down every avenue to give people the opportunity to participate in the Motatapu race,” commented Craig Gallagher, Race Co-Owner. 

“Our competitors and volunteers are our top priority and their health and wellbeing have been the number one factor in our decision making. There has been a great deal of operational work behind the scenes, to try and create a safe space for over 3600 competitors at our event.

"But the sheer volume of competitors we have moving through the valley makes it impossible for us to prevent convergence of 100 person pods and the potential spread of Covid-19 amongst our athletes.” 

These risks to our competitors, volunteers and staff, alongside the potential impact on frontline workers in the region and the health of our community led organisers to make this sad decision. 

The event will now be held on the weekend of 4 March 2023. Refunds and transfers are available for athletes. More information is available on at www.motatapu.com.

Queenstown's Marathon is also up in the air, currently planned for March 19. Athletes are expecting an update on if this will go ahead by February 21.

The Motatapu off-road event is one of the largest and most iconic on the New Zealand sporting calendar. With close to 4000 participants in 2020, the Motatapu continues to attract runners, riders and walkers from across NZ. Held annually in March in Queenstown and Wānaka, the race traverses Motatapu, Soho and Glencoe Stations.  Known for its challenging-yet achievable course, the race snakes its way through stunning high country terrain only accessible to the public one day a year for the Motatapu event.

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