in their own words...

Thanks for organising a wonderful event. The course was scenic and challenging and we had a blast. Look forward to the next one! :o)

Vivian Cheng, Wellington

You Rock! You did the most fantastic job with the Tarawera Ultra. Excellent trails & scenery, superb volunteers, and the bestest food ever! It's a sure winner! Please reserve a spot for me next year.

Peter McHannigan, Tauranga

Having never run a half marathon before let alone a full marathon……and definitely not an ultra….. I was a tad nervous pre event but yourself and everyone involved provided fantastic support.

You have an amazing event in, quiet possibly, the most beautiful/idyllic part of the country. I wish you all the success going forward and please get in touch when entries open for 2010!

Please pass on my regards to all volunteers/sponsors who helped make the event such a huge success.

Jimmy Jetpack, Wellington

Paul I can't sum up in words what an outstanding success this event was. You and your ARMY of volunteers did an AMAZING job. What seemed like a logistical nightmare, ran like a well oiled machine. Best trail run in the country. No question. 



Kerry Suter, Hamilton.
Overall Winner. 2009 Tarawera Ultramarathon

I wanted to pass on my congratulations for putting together such a fantastic event.  It was astonishingly well organised and I hugely appreciated the opportunity to run such an amazing course.

Please pass on congratulations and thanks to your team of helpers, volunteers etc.  I really had a great time and am already looking forward to next year.

Justin Walsh, Auckland

If you want an adventure mixed with scenic views, proper trail tracks (90%) and a perfect organisation, “The Tarawera Ultramarathon” (80km) is the place to be. The first 35 km are up and down around the Blue Lake and at the end is the first food station before you enter the forest again. Between 35 and 55 km it is just incredible hard, think about steep narrow single track up and down with some huge drops, roots and stones everywhere -and you have to be sharp to stay on the track. However, you pass one of the most scenic views; the Tarawera falls.

Around 45 km, I had my most difficult moment. During other endurance events I have hit “the wall” but this was just incredible.   From 55 km onwards the roads where proper gravel roads mixed with nice forest runs, but I was not home yet! Paul, the organiser had put surprises at the end, a couple of steep hills to test your limits ...  

Rik De Smet, Whangaparoa

Congrats to Paul Charteris for putting on the inaugural Tarawera Ultramarathon.  As a first time ultramarathon trail runner, this was an amazing event to be part of. The scenery was fantastic, the "Californian style" aid stations provided a great supply of food and drink and the best aid station crews you would find anywhere. 

It was great to meet so many supportive and social people along the way ~ it seems that ultramarathoners are a friendly, ego free, bunch of people. 
If you have ever thought about doing some off road running, in some of the best country NZ has to offer. Thanks to your great team of volunteer and to the guys who kept me laughing for 60kms.

Anne Bulley, Ohope Beach

It is hard to describe how great it was. I wouldn't have known you were a first time race director given the professional presentation of everything associated with the event. I even treasure my geographx map of the route. It's hard to believe we travelled that far on foot!



I second the vote of thanks to the volunteers. What great aid stations! I've never had my CamelBak filled for me before. Special thanks to the helper who plastered me with sun block at Whio Road. The atmosphere, especially at the large aid stations, was fantastic. I could just imagine being a spectator at the Tarawera Falls aid station watching runners pop out of the trail and blink into the carnival scene in the bright sunlight.



The bush and lakes in the first half were rivalled by the exotic forest in the second. As much as it was nice to hit the flats it was equally nice to be in the bush.

The free hot pools by the finish were icing on the cake. 

It was certainly a tough race - my first trail run - but very satisfying to complete it. As I ran it was easy to imagine that I was in one of those U.S. ultras that I have read about in books.

Thanks again and I encourage others to enter next year for a real life experience.

Simon Clendon, Auckland

The Tarawera Ultra was nothing short of awesome (I know I have a tendency of talking them all up... but this one was certainly something special), just like Nathan's events, this one went off like clockwork and Paul Charteris deserves a huge pat on the back for all of the tireless efforts that he put into making this thing happen. The track/course gets a big thumbs up from me, the condition of the track would rival the Kepler in many places. You run past/around four lakes, though vast tracts of native bush.... it was stunning.

As you already know, the support was amazing. For us South Island ultra runners it really seemed a bit 'over the top' as this isn't what I've come to expect, even on the Kepler I still run essentially self sufficient, just like you guys. I'm not saying that this is a bad thing (cause it's not - it's great), it's just not what we are usually used to... For instance, there were sweepers on Mountain bikes asking if you were OK and if you wanted anything... now that certainly isn't what I've come to expect, or require, on our usual expeditions...

Regarding your queries: The event was great! Well organised, excellent support, great track, met heaps of really nice people who seem to be just the right amount of crazy...  Yep, it was hard - I would say that this one was harder than doing The Heaphy.  Yep, I would certainly recommend that all of the South Island ultra guys do the Tarawera Ultra, without any reservation. Of course I would do it again - that's a silly question...

Kim Ransfield, Christchurch

I'd just like to say that I had one of the most enjoyable days ever last weekend. It's safe to say that I met a ton of great people along the way and made some friends too. I thought you organised one of the best races I've been to, don't know how else you could improve it..

Carl Laffan, Lower Hutt

Scenic is an oft-quoted word used to describe nz trails. But, if you have the seasoned adventure runners raving about the course, then it's really something else. Also worth noting is how well thought out the course was -- having aid stations placed at accesible locations to make the event spectator-friendly, but also enabling runners like me to get back to wild trails extremely quick is awesome. Hats off to everyone who made this fantastic event possible!

Paul De Vera, Wellington

Cooling off after finishing the 60km run. 2009 Tarawera Ultra.