Crater Rim Ultra

Trail Running for Everyone!!

Have a blast at our Crater Rim Ultra Trail Event on Sunday 18th October 2020.

With stunning hill, city, and harbour views and a variety of courses to suit all abilities, the Crater Rim Ultra is fast becoming a must-do event on the NZ Trail Running Calendar.

Pick your race from the Hansen Park Kids Dash, 10 km Rapaki Rumble, 21 km Kiwi Challenge, 30 km Bellbird Buster, or 53 km Crater Rim Ultra where you will run over extinct volcanoes along the Crater Rim.

Come along and challenge yourself right here on our stunning back doorstep and be part of the 2019 Crater Rim Ultra trail event.

You’ll see a few parts of our website are “to be updated.” We’re runners too! And we are running over and improving the 2020 course to help ensure an enjoyable and safe experience for our competitors. There will be a few changes to some of our events in 2020, watch this space!

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Athletics New Zealand Trail Running Championships

The Crater Rim Ultra 53KM event is also the Athletics New Zealand Trail Running Championships. All runners registered with an Athletics NZ registered club are eligible for awards in this event and will be awarded medals from Athletics New Zealand based upon their places within other runners also registered with clubs:

In addition, the Crater Rim Ultra 53KM event is also the Oceania Trail Running Championships and means that athletes registered with the respective Oceanic countries who compete will also be eligible for awards in this category too!! We have athletes travelling from Australia and Tahiti as confirmed entrants for this event.

2020 Race Date

Sunday 18th October, 2020

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Crater Rim Ultra

2019 Race Video

The video production from the Crater Rim Ultra 2019 is now available for your viewing, big thanks to FLASHWORKS Media. All historical videos available from our Videos page.

Video produced by FLASHWORKS Media

Some Quick History...

From a low key beginning in 2001, when 31 runners finished the course, the event has now increased to include hundreds completing the course, including many top local and international athletes.

The event attracts interest from outside Christchurch and is a popular build-up to the Kepler Challenge in early December. Many competitors return for the challenge and the scenic nature of the course which overlooks both the Canterbury Plains and Lyttelton Harbour.

Conditions for the event in early Spring can vary from a hot fine day to the type of conditions encountered in 2007 where it was extremely wet and cold.

For many entrants this is their introduction to trail running in a competitive environment.

The event organizers, Port Hills Athletic Club, have a full traffic management plan in place for the trail run and many club members assist as marshals and aid station attendants around the course.

The event is followed by two presentation functions with place prizes and generous spot prizes and all competitors receive a great morning tea or lunch depending when you're racing!!

The picnic style atmosphere at the end as competitors sit around enjoying their refreshments and recounting their various experiences on the course and the support they give to other finishing competitors is a reflection of the friendly atmosphere of this event.