Region’s new trail race a taste of things to come
John McIntyre doesn’t need to go far for inspiration when conceiving his event ideas.
Less than a year since his Abel Tasman Cycle Challenge wound up, the champion motorsport driver has announced his latest venture, featuring familiar scenery but with an added option to run Nelson’s Great Taste Trail.
The multisport event, the Nelson Airport K2M trail marathon, will be held on the Great Taste Trail on May 25.
Runners, walkers and cyclists from all over New Zealand and overseas will converge on the Nelson region for the last weekend of autumn to try the various event distances.
The full marathon distance weaves its way from Kaiteriteri Mountainbike Park through Riwaka, the Motueka foreshore, Lower Moutere, Tasman, Ruby Bay and finishes at Mapua Wharf. The half-marathon starts from Lower Moutere School, and the 10-kilometre race from Tasman School. All distances finish at Mapua Wharf.
Runners have the option of a solo or four-person relay over the 42km marathon distance, as well as a 21km half-marathon and the 10km event. Walkers have two options of either a 21km halfmarathon or the 10km.
Event organiser McIntyre developed the K2M event concept after a family mountainbike ride on the Great Taste Trail (GTT) last autumn.
‘‘We rode the GTT as a family and just couldn’t believe how stunning and varied the scenery was in our own backyard. I thought this part of the trail could make a great marathon distance event for running, walking and cycling.’’
McIntyre was also behind the Abel Tasman Cycle Challenge in 2016. Promoted as a participation friendly ride for individuals and teams, the inaugural race attracted 600 riders who made the 158km-long journey from Saxton Field, Nelson to Kaiteriteri and back.
About 630 riders took part in last year’s event, which also included a mountain-bike option through Richmond’s Silvan Forest park.
However, the race was cancelled this year, due to mounting costs for traffic management planning (TMP) and compliance.
‘‘We . . . couldn’t believe how stunning and varied the scenery was in our own backyard.’’
K2M organiser John McIntyre