Race  Options

The Coast to Coast has become almost a rite of passage for multisport athletes from around the world with over 20,000 people having completed the event 40+ year history.

Held every February, the race starts on the West Coast, at Kumara Beach and traverses the width of the South Island, crossing the main divide and finishing on the East Coast with the finish at the Pier on New Brighton Beach in Christchurch. 

The race is one of the world's longest running multi-sports events and is older even than the Hawaiian Ironman. From similar roots, Robin Judkins founded the event in 1983 when just 25 hardy souls took on the 243km challenge over two days. 
Over the years that grew to a peak of close to 1000 competitors and the event has grown with different sections to suit all those from the professional athletes to the weekend warriors. 

The One Day race was introduced in 1989 and has the title of the World Multisport Championship with the top athletes covering the entire course in close to 11 hours. The other end of the field sees some competitors in the Two Day race taking closer to 24 hours.
Competitors leave on foot from the black sands and lush windswept landscapes on the West Coast, running 2.2km inland to their waiting bikes. They then follow the Taramakau River to the foothills of the Southern Alps where they switch their bikes for runners and the first true test of the course.

The 30.5km run is mainly off trail with the rocky riverbed often the only direct line up the valley. Competitors encounter multiple river crossings with frigid crystal clear water and an elevation gain of nearly 800m on their way to Goat Pass and the start of the descent.
With the very fastest athletes taking nearly 3 hours the run is as much a test of co-ordination and strength as it is outright speed.

A short 15km ride follows before the second jewel in the course. The mighty Waimakariri River. 70kms of braids and a stunning gorge, the river section is for many both the highlight and the crux of the race. The water flows swiftly in places and mixes long calm sections with rapids up to grade 2 in size.
It takes competitors from the heart of the Southern Alps out on to the Canterbury Plains where just one final 70km ride stands between competitors and the finish on the East Coast at the New Brighton Pier amongst a vibrant beachside festival.

While the One Day athletes complete the distance in a day, the majority of competitors take two days to cover the same course, with an overnight camp at the end of the Mountain run stage.

2024 Entry Process

 

Multisport entries

The 2024 event will be held on Friday 9 & Saturday 10 February 2024 (Longest Day & One Day teams on Saturday 10 Feb).


Multisport entries will be allocated via a ballot draw. Applications to the ballot will open from Monday 16 January, 9am until Wednesday 22 February 2023, 5pm. The ballot will be via a Google Form, one application per person. You can only apply for one event category per application, if you wish to apply for more than one category please submit separate ballot forms.


Successful ballot applications will be advised via email from Monday 27 February and will be provided instructions on how to enter. Entries will be accepted from midday on Tuesday 7 March and athletes will have 7 days (until Tuesday 14 March midday) to enter and pay or the spot will be reallocated.


Athletes who are not offered an entry via the ballot will be placed on a waitlist, the waitlist order will be randomly generated and published online by Tuesday 7 March.


Ballot entries will be allocated at the sole discretion of the organiser. It is not a first come, first serve basis.


Mountain Run entries

The 2024 event will be held on Friday 9 February 2024.


Mountain Run entries will be allocated via a ballot draw. Applications to the ballot will open on Friday 1 September, 9am and close on Friday 15 September, 5pm. The ballot will be via a Google Form, one application per person.


Successful ballot applications will be advised via email from Monday 2 October and will be provided instructions on how to enter, they will have 7 days to enter and pay or the spot will be reallocated.


Athletes who are not offered a spot via the ballot will be placed on a waitlist, the waitlist order will be randomly generated and published online by Monday 2 October.



Instalments

Entries received between the opening of the registration system and 31 May 2023 are eligible for payment by instalments. By selecting to make payment by the instalment option, the customer hereby agrees to immediate payment of a non-refundable entry fee deposit of $99 to secure their entry and the instalment payment plan option.


By 31 May 2023 the customer agrees to set up a direct debit into the bank account of Ultimate Event Productions for payment of the remaining balance due via 2 equal instalments on the dates specified below:

1 July 2023

1 September 2023

Only Entry Fees can be paid for in instalments, with all add-ons such as meals, pre-race transport, photos and Refund Protect to be paid for in full immediately at time of purchase.


Instalments can only be paid directly into our bank account, with all bank fees to do so being paid for by the competitor.


If you do not pay by the due date, you will have 5 days to make payment, or Ultimate Event Productions Limited reserves the right to charge you a cancellation fee of $30 for each late instalment payment and reserves the right remove your entry into the race.


Ultimate Event Productions Limited is not responsible for failure by the customer to make payment on the due date for any reason.


Full payment of all installments must be received by 1 September 2023 to confirm your eligibility to compete in the Coast to Coast.


Race Date: Saturday 10 February 2024

The Longest Day (One Day)

Event Category Entry Fee
Longest Day (One Day) $1,350

All prices are in $NZD and include GST. 2% fee applies to all credit card payments.

The Longest Day is the World Multisport Championship event.

There are Age Group and Elite categories for the Longest Day. If you want to be eligible for the prize money you MUST enter the Elite category.

The minimum age for Longest Day competitors is 18 years of age on race day.
The Longest Day is only open to individuals and as the name suggests sees competitors complete the full 243km course in one day. 

There are relatively tight cut-offs and it is recommended competitors tackle the two day event prior to the Longest Day unless they have considerable endurance racing experience. 

Race Date: Saturday 10 February 2024

One Day Event - 3 Person Team

Event Category Entry Fee
One Day 3 Person Team $2,050 (per team)

All prices are in $NZD and include GST. 2% fee applies to all credit card payments.

Since 1987 the One Day event has  only been an option for individual athletes, now there is an option to enter as a 3 person Mixed team but spaces are limited.

One team member will tackle the Cycle stages (plus the first run off the start line at Kumara), another the Mountain Run and the third taking on the 70km kayak down the Waimak. 
The minimum age for One Day team competitors is 18 years of age on race day.

The team event will start 30 minutes after the individuals and the same cut offs that apply for the One Day individual event will be enforced for One Day teams.

 Race Date: Friday 9 & Saturday 10 February 2024

Two Day Events

Event Category Entry Fee
Two Day Individual $1,350
Two Day Individual School $700
Two Day 2 Person Relay Team $1,960 (per team)
Two Day 3 Person Relay Team $2,050 (per team)
Two Day 3 Person Relay Team School $950 (per team)

All prices are in $NZD and include GST. 2% fee applies to all credit card payments.

The Two Day event covers the same course as the One Day event but starts a day earlier (Friday) and competitors camp overnight at Klondyke Corner, after the Mountain Run stage before tackling the river and final ride on the Saturday.
The Two Day event is the event most people undertake as their Coast to Coast experience.

There is an amazing atmosphere at the overnight camp and the Two Day event is suitable for anyone with a good level of fitness and an adventurous streak. 

The 2 Person team event includes a Corporate Challenge, with at least two members of the team must be full time employees of the company and you can have one ring in. The winning corporate team will be in line to win the coveted Corporate Team Challenge trophy that will look great at reception and of course bragging rights for twelve months! 

See the Two Day handbooks which are specific to each event for more details.


The Schools section is available to students enrolled at High School on race day. The Schools section is sanctioned by the NZSSSC.

The minimum age for Two Day individual competitors is 16, 2 Person team competitors is 15 & 3 Person team competitors is 14 years of age on race day.

The minimum age for Two Day Individual School competitors is 16 & Two Day 3 Person is 14 years of age on race day.
 Race Date: Friday 9 and Saturday 10 February 2024

Two Day Event - Tandem Team

Event Category Entry Fee
Two Day Tandem Team $3,500 (per team)
Two Day Tandem Team School $1,900 (per team)

 All prices are in $NZD and include GST. 2% fee applies to all credit card payments.

The Two Day Tandem event is an event where teams of two complete the entire course over two days together. You must run and bike within 50m of each other at all times and teams paddle a supplied double kayak (Barracuda AR DUO) which is included in the entry fee. See the Two day Tandem handbook for all the details.

A $150 damage deposit is required if organisers are supplying a kayak. Damage deposits, less any costs of repair, will be refunded within 10 days of the completion of the event. Refund will be processed back to the credit card used for payment, or to NZ based bank account which was used to make the payment.
If you have your own tandem kayak that you would like to use, please contact us.  If you don't have a Barracuda AR Duo you will be in an 'unranked' category.

The minimum age for Tandem competitors is 15 years of age on race day.
 Race Date: Friday 9 February 2024

Mountain Run

Event Category Entry Fee
Mountain Run $450

All prices are in $NZD and include GST. 2% fee applies to all credit card payments.

You can tackle just the famous Mountain run stage on the Friday when the two day competitors are on the Mountain stage of the course. There is transport available from the finish at Klondyke Corner to the start at Aickens in the morning (must be pre-booked) and all the details are available in the Mountain Run Handbook.
The minimum age for Mountain Run competitors is 14 years of age on race day.