South Island Masters Games 2026

The South Island Masters Games running and walking events take place around Caroline Bay in Timaru, South Canterbury, during a ten-day masters sports festival held in October. The races are for athletes aged 30 and over, offering 5km, 10km, and half marathon options, with separate running and walking categories for each distance. The 5km race is scheduled for Friday evening, while the 10km and half marathon begin on Saturday morning. This event embraces masters sport in a broad, community context, welcoming experienced age-group racers alongside recreational runners and walkers seeking an organised goal. The 5km event features age categories from 30-39 up to 90+, and the other distances also use age divisions, ensuring competitors race against others in a similar bracket. The broader Games have been held for twenty-five years, attracting thousands from the South Island and further afield. They also support local clubs; in Marlborough, the Games have generated over $5.5 million in regional economic benefit and contributed more than $150,000 to sports clubs and organisations.