Motatapu 2027

Motatapu is a one-day off-road race series in New Zealand’s Queenstown Lakes area, situated between Wanaka and Arrowtown. Participants, including riders, runners, and walkers, gain access to high country normally closed to the public, covering privately owned and protected backcountry. The event offers several distances: a 47km mountain bike race with an e-bike option, a 42km trail marathon suitable for running or walking, a 52km ultra run with approximately 3,000m of elevation gain, a 15km Miners Trail run or walk, and a 4km junior trail run. The longer routes traverse Motatapu, Soho, and Glencoe Stations, featuring river crossings, ascents, descents, open valleys, and rugged backcountry tracks. The mountain bike course involves an elevation gain of about 1,150m and a descent of about 880m, while the trail marathon includes a comparable descent and just over 1,000m of climbing. The Miners Trail, originating from Arrowtown, is a shorter loop but still presents steep terrain, with more descent than climbing. Motatapu attracts mountain bikers, trail runners, walkers, juniors, and their support crews on the same day, with a stated focus on land conservation and supporting the local community.