The Molesworth Station is New Zealand’s largest high country station and is located in the upper half of the South Island.
Our 84 km ultra running event runs from the Molesworth Cob Cottage to Hanmer Springs through the Molesworth Station. The race can be done as a Solo-runner, in a Team of 2 or in a Team of 4 runners.
From the start, the graveled road climbs Ward Pass 1145 m and descends into Isolated Flat – 250 hectares of expansive grass and tussock lands, bounded by rolling mountains and massive scree slopes. Once at Red Gate, the road loosely follows the Acheron River through to the historic Acheron Accommodation house and the confluence of the Acheron and Clarence rivers. From here we follow the Clarence to Jollies Pass – and from there into the North Canterbury town of Hanmer Springs – finishing at the Jollies Pass Hotel historic site on Jollies Pass Road: a total distance of 84 km.
Entry Fees
Solo Entrant: $ 75.00 Team of Two: $ 150.00 Team of Four: $ 300.00
To drive to the start from Blenheim, take SH 1 and travel 22 km south from Blenheim. Then turn west (i.e. right) at the Awatere Road intersection. Drive 87 km up to the race start at the Cottage. A large part of this is a metal road and total travel time from Blenheim is 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Camping at the DOC camping area Cob Cottage will be permitted (at no charge) on the night prior to this event. You need a tent or a campervan. There are long drop toilets only. No bookings required.
To drive to the start from Christchurch via Hanmer Springs, you need to drive through Molesworth Station on the evening of Friday 17th November or the morning of Saturday 18th November (Race Day). This will take about 2 1/2 hours. The road is open to the public.
Race Distances and Course Description:
Leg 1 – 20 km:
From the Molesworth Gate it starts with a short sharp undulating run, corners and steep pulls leading up to Ward Pass, then steady zig-zag up to summit. Summit Ward Pass is at 1145 m. Then a steep descent into Isolated Flat and the Acheron River Bridge. Flat open country, excellent running to Saxon River Bridge. Similar country through to end of leg one at sign post west end of Isolated Flat. There are portaloos at the change-over point.
Full map of Molesworth run course
Leg 2 – 22 km:
300 m of flat road before a steady climb to summit of Isolated Saddle. From Isolated Saddle an easy downhill to Red Gate turn-off. Undulating easy run to Severn River Bridge. Short, sharp sections through to Yarra River Bridge. Similar country through to end of Leg 2. The end is at 2.5 km past pylon No 1078. Clearly signed. MARATHON CHANGE OVER POINT (42 km).
Leg 3 – 21.4 km:
The road closely follows Acheron River with several steep pulls around bluffs to Five Mile Stream. It gradually eases and the valley widens as the confluence of the Acheron and Clarence Rivers become visible at the Historic Acheron Accommodation House. There are toilets at the Accommodation House. The road descends gently to the Molesworth boundary on the Clarence River Bridge. Clarence River Bridge. crossing the bridge, the road follows the Clarence River upstream to a gate and there is the of end of Leg 3.
Leg 4 – 20.5 km:
The road continues adjacent to the Clarence River, gently climbing towards Jollies Pass and Jacks Pass Roads. Continue past the intersection with Jollies Pass Road for approx. 2.5 km. Runners will then double back to the Jollies Pass turnoff, turn right onto Jollies Pass Road and run over Jollies Pass (4×4 or AWD vehicles only). AWD vehicles must have good ground clearance. We will mark the route over Jollies Pass with dazzle paint on the road surface, but the route is very distinctive.
The distance from the turnoff to the new finish area at the Jollies Pass Hotel historic site on Jollies Pass Road is 10 km, giving a total leg distance of 20.5 km, close to the original distance.
DRIVERS ARE WARNED THAT THE HANMER SIDE OF JOLLIES PASS IS STEEP AND UNSEALED – EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED !!!
Take a deep breath and lunge over the line. The Race is Over!!! You’ve done it. CONGRATULATIONS on a great effort.
There is a beer, water and soft drink at the finish. Also toilets!
Due to storm damage and road surface issues Jollies Pass is not suitable for 2 wheel drive vehicles. Hence all support vehicles that are not 4×4 or AWD will have to cross Jacks Pass into Hanmer Springs and travel along Jollies Pass Road from the township to the new finish area at the Jollies Pass Hotel historic site. This will be well marked.
We would encourage those teams not using a 4×4 vehicle to include a bike suitable to accompany and support your runner over the Jollies Pass section.
Cut off times at Leg 4 will remain in place as per race rules.
Solo runners and 2 person teams must follow the same route over Jollies Pass.
Race Rules
Solo ultra-race:
Solo-eventers begin at 8 am at Molesworth Cob Cottage. These runners must be proven ultra-distance competitors and expect to be able to run the distance in 10 hours. Solo runners should have reached the last transition point by 4 pm. Runners who have not done so, will be encouraged to withdraw. Previous ultra-events and times must be supplied with race entry – time limit is 10 hours. Each solo-entrant needs to have his/her own dedicated support crew and vehicle.
Teams of 2 runners:
Each runner of the team must run a 42 km leg (either Lap 1&2 or Lap 3&4). Running alternate legs is not an option. The start is at 8 am with the solo eventers.
Teams of 4 runners:
Teams of 4 run an approx 21 km leg each. Teams of 4 start at 9 am.
The teams events will be run under a normal relay format, i.e. a runner tags next team member. However, each leg will have a 2-hour period in which a runner has to tag his team mate. If the leg remains uncompleted after 2 hours, the next runner must start. If uncompleted after 3 hours, the runner will be withdrawn.
Grades will be Open Men, Open Women, Veteran Men, Veteran Women, Business Teams & Mixed Teams.
Mixed teams must have at least 1 member of the opposite sex per team.
The field will be limited to 75 teams and 20 solo eventers.
Race order sheets and waivers are provided in the final mail-out due 1 week before race day. These are to be filled in and given to the start official at the start. They must list runners full names in race order. If we don’t know who is running which leg, we cannot compile accurate results!
SAFETY
Our event is run in the ‘High Country’, approx 1000 metres above sea level. Therefore weather patterns can be EXTREME. Severe heat, little shade and limited water can be encountered, or snow and severe frost, at any time of the year. Competitors and support vehicles must be equipped to handle these conditions.
As this event is being held inside the “open” period for the Molesworth Station the road may be rough in places – vehicles with low ground clearance may have problems. Vehicles should have adequate spares, i.e. fan belts, hoses, fuel, and be in reliable condition. There are no fuel (automotive or for humans) supplies available between Blenheim & Hanmer Springs. The road is not suitable for buses.
To reduce congestion and dust (!) we recommend one car per team and one for each solo entrant. There will be traffic going in both directions so take it slowly and safely. All normal road rules apply.
Rubbish: In short – NONE. Take it in, Take it out – It is pristine country, let’s keep it that way!
Toilets: There are two toilets at the start. There is also a toilet at changeover #2 and in the Acheron Accommodation House.
Competitors must supply their own support. This means there are no water or food stations. Your team mates are your support and your vehicle is both transport and haven if weather is inclement. Organisers insist that an adequate supply of water and/or replacement drinks to be carried. There is emergency water at all changeover points.
An ambulance trained person is on standby. He carries medical supplies and a defibrillator. He has a satellite telephone to communicate with our crew but be aware there is no cellphone reception in the Molesworth Station. If you have a medical condition he needs to know about please do talk to him at the start. Please carry a first-aid kit.
A traffic safety plan is in place. The race and the course management close at 6 pm. The tail-end-person has the authority to withdraw competitors if there is concern about their safety. After that time no responsibility can be taken for competitors who have chosen to stay on the course.
While we do our utmost to organise a safe event, you are participating at your own risk.
Prize Giving
After the race you can soak in the Hanmer thermal pools to be fully recovered for the after race function and prize giving.
We are hoping to see lots of participants at the prize giving function. This will be held at the Hanmer Springs Retreat at 35 Hanmer Springs Road, on the Saturday evening at 8pm.
Their Five Stags Restaurant offers dinner from 5:30 pm onward. Also on site is a bar and accommodation. If you mention our event, they offer a reduced rate for your stay.
For the poets among us, we run a poetry competition, The Running Bard for poems created whilst on your run. A very fancy prize awaits the winner.
The Molesworth Run is the brainchild of Maurice Brown who, with running partner Allan Holdaway, scoped out the course early in 1995. The stunning beauty and remote isolation of the Molesworth Station drew them to this unique location. The station is traversed by a rough gravel road, but passable by normal road vehicles and at that time was closed to the public on the third Saturday of November, the date chosen to stage the event. The balance of the course south of the Clarence River Bridge is over low volume public road.
Their goal was to set up another national Ultra Running option, but they had the vision to incorporate a Four Leg Relay into the event to attract a broad base of runners and in the process guarantee the sustainability of the event.
They carefully measured out the route by hand held wheel, including measurements to key geographical features and possible transition points. The final distance was 84.7 km that in 1995 made it one of the longest and toughest Ultra Running events in the Southern Hemisphere. Clearly athletes would have to be in top fitness to handle the altitude, unpredictable weather conditions, rough road conditions and undulating nature of the course.
The first event was staged on Saturday 18th November 1995 and attracted a larger than expected field of 10 Solo Runners and 40 Four Person Teams. The event has run every year since except for 2016, 2020 and 2021. In 2016 the schedule was broken by the severe Kaikoura Earthquake and 2020/2021 due to Covid. Disruption also occurred in 2017 when the northern approach of the Clarence River Bridge was washed away by flood waters just weeks before the event. In an attempt to maintain continuity an alternative 60 km course was hastily scoped out: this started from the Sedgemere Sleep-out in the Rainbow and ended at the same finish line in Hanmer Springs Village.
The race start is at the Molesworth Cob Cottage:
