Bridge to Bridge Ultra Marathon 2026
The Bridge to Bridge Ultra Marathon 2026 takes place on June 12, 2026, in the Kaiapoi and Christchurch areas of Canterbury, New Zealand. The event follows a river-oriented route starting near the Waimakariri Gorge and concluding at Raven Quay in Kaiapoi. Participants can expect varied weather conditions typical of early winter in Canterbury, which may include cool temperatures, wind, or rain along the Waimakariri river corridor. The multi-distance running festival features a mix of bitumen roads, gravel paths, elevated stop-banks, and short sections of single-track trail.
What distances are available for this event?
- →60 km Ultra Marathon (mixed-terrain)
- →Bridge to Bridge 30 (30 km mixed-terrain)
- →Bridge to Bridge 15 (15 km mixed-terrain)
- →Bridge to Bridge 5 (5 km mixed-terrain/park-trail focus)
What is the race schedule and start times?
- →60 km Ultra Marathon: 08:00
- →Bridge to Bridge 30 km: 10:00
- →Bridge to Bridge 15 km: 11:00
- →Bridge to Bridge 5 km: 11:45
What are the course cut-off times?
- →Downs Road: 11:30
- →Harrs Road (start of stop bank): 13:15
- →Motorway bridge (5 km remaining): 14:25
- →Finish line: 15:00
What terrain can runners expect on the course?
The courses consist of a variety of surfaces including bitumen road, gravel (specifically River Road and Harrs Road), elevated stop-bank paths along the Waimakariri River, and short sections of single-track trail through the Waimakariri River Park. The 60 km route is described as a mostly flat river-corridor route with some soft trail sections.
What support and bag drop services are provided?
- →60 km runners: A pre-race bag-drop service is available. Bags can be picked up at Race Pack Pickup on Friday at noon and will be taken to the aid stations.
- →Support teams: Crew/support teams are only permitted at the final three feed stations.
- →Note: No roadside support is permitted on the river-road section.
What are the environmental and toilet facilities?
- →Portable toilets are available at the designated food stations.
- →Runners are required to carry "poo bags" if they need to relieve themselves away from the official stations.
- →To protect the river and local birdlife, a "carry in, carry out" policy is strictly enforced; all waste must be carried out by the participant.
Where do the different race distances start and finish?
- →60 km Ultra: Starts at Waimakariri Golf Club (Thorncaster Road) and finishes at Raven Quay, Kaiapoi.
- →30 km: Starts at Downs Road on Harrs Road and finishes at Raven Quay, Kaiapoi.
- →15 km: Starts at the beginning of the stop bank on Harrs Road and finishes at Raven Quay, Kaiapoi.
- →5 km: Starts in Waimakariri River Park under the motorway bridge and finishes at Raven Quay, Kaiapoi.