All participants must read the full race rules and safety notes

General Rules:

• All participants entering this event have agreed to a waiver - they enter and participate at their own risk, and are responsible for their own actions at all times. There is no liability to the event organisers, the Wanganui Harrier Club, sponsors, or other associated parties.
• Participants under 16 years of age must be entered by their parent/guardian.
• The event organiser may alter, postpone or cancel the event, without refund.
• Entries are transferable to another participant until 27 November 2026 via registration site (timing-team-event-registration.vercel.app/signin). After 27 November 2026 this can be done at Race Pack Pick Up.
• Participants must give way to traffic at all times, remain inside the marked course and keep to the footpath if available. They must follow the course as explained at the race briefing. Failure to do so could lead to disqualification.
• At all times, participants must obey instructions given to them by the NZ Police, Event Officials/Marshals and First Aid Personnel.
• Accompanying animals are not allowed on the course.
• This course is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs
• Roller blades, scooters, skateboards and bicycles are prohibited from the course.
• Earphone and ear plug music devices are not to be used.
• Participants must not be accompanied by anyone not entered in the event, except in the Kids 1.2km Fun-Run-Athon, where parents/guardians are welcome to accompany their children on foot free of charge. Children under 7 years of age must be accompanied by a caregiver 14 years or older.
• All participants must attend the pre-race briefing on the start line, 10mins prior to each start.
• The organisers reserve the right to withdraw any participant who, A) doesn't comply with the race rules, B) they consider unsafe to continue due to medical reasons.
• Any protest regarding any aspect of the event must be made in writing to the race director no later than 1:00pm on race day.

Walkers:

• Walkers must only walk! Entrants wishing to walk-jog must enter as runners.
• The Walk categories are not official race walk events. There will be Walk Judges on the course and any walkers judged to be running will be promoted to the running section of the results.
• Walkers are requested to walk no more than two abreast so as not to impede the progress of the runners or to create a traffic hazard.

Race Numbers and Electronic Timing Chips:

• Race numbers must be worn on your chest and be visible at all times.
• Your race number has your electronic timing chip stuck on the back. Chips are programmed with your name, event and the correct start time. Entrants must wear the race number assigned to them. Please be careful not to mix up your number with another entrant, and make sure you start with the correct event.
• We do not take responsibility for incorrect results where participants started with the wrong event, mixed up their number with another participant, or failed to wear their number.
• The timing chip is disposable. We do not need race numbers back.
• All competitors who enter before 30 September 2026 will have their name printed on their race number.

Safety:

• The course is run on public roads and is open to vehicular traffic. At all times you must watch for traffic and obey traffic management instruction. Course marshals are in place for direction only. Where traffic is involved, participants must take responsibility for their own decisions and actions.
• The course organisation officially closes at 1:00pm. Participants still on-course after 1:00pm will be responsible for their own safety and support.
• Entrants must be prepared for the possibility of cold or hot weather and dress accordingly.
• Sunscreen is recommended.
• Please bring spare clothing for after you finish.
• It is unlikely that the event would be called off due to weather.
• First Aid is based near the finish line, and will be mobile around the course.
• In the event of collapse or a severe medical incident, do not move the patient. Make another participant run to the nearest aid station or marshal and they will arrange for first aid. Keep the participant warm while waiting for fist aid.

• Marathon and Half Marathon competitors / entrants are recommended to be 16 years of age or over.
• Quarter Marathon competitors / entrants are recommended to be 12 years of age or over.
• 1.2km Fun-Run-Athon competitors / entrants must be 13 years of age or under.
• Competitors / entrants under 7 years of age must be accompanied by a parent / caregiver.

All races start and finish at Kowhai Park, except the 1.2km Fun-Run-Athon, which starts by the Motor Boat Clubrooms, on ANZAC Parade

5:30pm-7:30pm Saturday 5th December - Venue TBD

From 5:00am Sunday 6th December - Registration tent at Kowhai Park (cut off 30mins before each race start time)

If someone else is picking up your race pack for you, please ensure they know your surname and your date of birth

On roads near Kowhai Park

A pre-race briefing for all events (except the 1.2km Kids) is held at the Hoskin truck 10 minutes before each start. For the 1.2km Kids Fun-run-athon, the pre-race briefing is at 12:20pm by the Whanganui Motor Boat CLubrooms, on ANZAC Parade

6:00am Full Marathon Run and Walk

8:00am Half Marathon Walk

8:30am Half Marathon Run

9:00am 5km Relay Run/Walk

10:00am Quarter Marathon Run/Walk

11:30am 5km Run/Walk

12:30pm Kids 1.2km Fun-run-athon (start by the pencils sculpture, opposite Wanganui Vet Services, 35 Somme Parade)

1:30pm Prize giving at Kowhai Park

We are unable to post prizes/medals. Spot prize winners must be present at prize-giving to claim their prize (otherwise spot prizes will be redrawn). If you win a place prize and are unable to attend prize-giving, please arrange someone to collect your prize for you.

• Bags may be left in the tent at Kowhai Park.
• There is a key box available at the Registration tent in Kowhai Park.
• All gear is left at your own risk. The organisers take no responsibility for any damage or missing gear.

• There are 3 aid stations per quarter marathon lap (refer race maps).
• Each aid station has water and electrolyte drink.

All events finish at Kowhai Park (see Race Maps).

• The course organisation officially closes at 1:00pm. Participants still on-course after 1:00pm will be responsible for their own safety and support.
• The official timing ceases at 1:00pm.

• Portable showers and toilets are available at Kowhai Park.
• Toilets are also available at various locations around the course (refer to Race Maps above)

• 1:30pm Prize-giving at Kowhai Park
• Spot prize winners must be present at prize giving in order to claim their prize. Spot prizes will be redrawn until a winner is found
• We are unable to post place prizes/medals - if you win a place prize and are unable to attend prize-giving, please arrange someone to collect your prize for you

Results will be posted under the results tab on this website and on our Facebook page after the event

Finishers Certificates will be available to download from the results tab on this website or from The Timing Team link after the event

Qualify At The PAK'nSAVE Whanganui 3BM For The Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships

The PAK'nSAVE Whanganui 3 Bridges Marathon is honored to have been selected to participate in the sixth edition of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings qualifying series. As a qualifying race, participants in the PAK'nSAVE Whanganui 3 Bridges Marathon can compete to earn ranking points to be invited to the 2025 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships.

The AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings launched in 2018 and the first AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championship race took place on 03 October, 2021 (postponed due to COVID-19) as part of the Virgin Money London Marathon.

• Qualifying period runs from Jan. 01 – Dec. 31, 2026
• Twelve-month cycle for participants to earn up to two qualifying times and a place at the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships in 2026.
• Participants in an AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying race will earn points according to their age, time and gender, aligned with the following age groups for men and women: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+.

The spread of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group Qualifying Events creates a truly global series throughout the year, giving runners across the world the chance to be part of a new era of age group marathon running. For more information on the scoring system and world rankings, visit www.abbottwmm.com.

• Riverview Motel
  14 Somme Parade, Whanganui
  Phone 06 345 2888
  Email riverviewmotel@xtra.co.nz
• Riverside Motel
  30 Somme Parade, Whanganui
  Phone 06 345 2448
  Email riversidewanganui@gmail.com

• The Yellow House
  17 Pitt St, Whanganui
  Phone 06 345 0083
• PAK'nSAVE Whanganui
  167 Glasgow St, Whanganui

After you run/walk:

• Sausage Sizzle at the Whanganui Vet Services trailer (donation)
• Buy a coffee from the Village Snob coffee cart (standard prices)