Queenstown ultrarunner Kerryn Bell’s organising her second seven-day, six-stage Southern Lakes Ultra, starting tomorrow, but her first with an international field.
Due to border restrictions a year ago, her field of 71 were all Kiwis, and, including 19 crew, she had to stick to a 100-person limit on gatherings.
About 125 runners have signed on for this month’s event, about 60% from overseas — mainly from Australia but also the United Kingdom, United States, the Netherlands, Germany and Hong Kong.
There’s only one competitor from Queenstown, one from Glenorchy and one from Alexandra.
Bell’s not surprised as she’s targeted athletes seeking a combined holiday and run amidst amazing scenery.
Competitors won’t know the course till Sunday, but the distance — 261 kilometres — is very similar to last year’s, and runners will again traverse the Hawea, Wānaka and Queenstown regions with significant hillclimbs every day.
On Tuesday, competitors will all contest the first 35km, spanning four mountain passes, but then have the option of calling it a day or adding
another 35km so they’re then ranked a ‘long-course’ runner, and therefore eligible for podium placings.
Bell estimates 80% of the field, including the slower ‘short-course’ runners, will still be running when it’s dark.
She says the event caters for not only elite runners but those getting into ultrarunning.
There’ll also be 32 permanent support crew plus another 10 who’ll come in for specific stages.
Thanks to the lifting of Covid restrictions, organisation’s ‘‘definitely been easier’’ this time, Bell says, though early this week she was concerned about incoming crew and competitors being affected by Auckland’s airport closure.
