The Monaco Mid Winter Marathon is one of the most budget-friendly and picturesque races in New Zealand. It’s organised by Nelson Tasman Community Sport Events Inc, a non-profit organisation that is focused on encouraging participation in sports and raising funds for good causes in the Nelson Tasman area.
The event strives to remove any obstacles to entry and provides the opportunity to either run or walk the full 42.2km marathon distance. Even if you are not the most confident runner, you can still take part by entering into a two-person relay and tackling a half marathon each. Alternatively, you could bring a few friends along and make it a four-person team!
This marathon is a beginner-friendly event, with an emphasis on having a fun and rewarding experience instead of focusing on competition and winning.
Before going into more depth regarding the details of the event, here is a brief overview of why the Monaco Mid Winter Marathon is worth signing up for:
Sign-up is both very easy and very affordable.
The Marathon has a stunning waterfront route beginning at the picturesque peninsula of Monaco, looping around the Waimea Inlet, passing farms, orchards, and the local favourite turnaround point, Rabbit Island. It’s absolutely beautiful!
Any surplus funds that are generated from participants’ entry fees are donated to good causes.
Regardless of your experience level, there is a place at the Monaco Mid Winter Marathon for you. The various race options available cater to all.
The Monaco Mid Winter Marathon has three different race options to choose from. They are as follows:
This race option covers a full marathon distance of 42.2km. Participants must be over 16 years of age and the race entry fee is $40 per person.
This option also covers a full marathon distance of 42.2km but is split between a two-person team. Participants must be over 14 years of age and the race entry fee is $60 per team.
A full marathon distance of 42.2km is split between a four-person team. Participants must be over 10 years of age and the race entry fee is $80 per team.
The Monaco Mid Winter Marathon 2023 will take place on Saturday 17th June. The event venue is located at The Honest Lawyer Country Pub, Monaco, Nelson. Registration will take place here on Friday 16th June, the day before the event.
There are varying start times for the marathon depending on how long you expect to take to run or walk the distance. They are as follows:
Whilst there is no formal cut-off time, the event organisers hope that everyone will be off the course by 3pm.
There are seven water and aid stations that can be found along the course route as well as a couple of toilet locations. Additionally, the course has various spectator points, giving your friends and family the perfect opportunity to watch you in action and cheer you along. For more specific details on the locations of aid stations and spectator points, as well as a detailed description of the course itself, visit the Monaco Mid Winter Marathon website.
