April 11, 2025 • 5 mins
A record number of runners and walkers will take over Christchurch’s central city this Sunday (13 April) for the largest ever Christchurch Marathon event.
More than 6,700 participants have entered the event across its four distances: the Christchurch Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10 km, and Kids Mara’fun.
That is 27% more than participated in 2024 and is the largest field the event has ever seen.
Event director Calum Nicholson joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss the uptake in runners from the garden city.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
A twenty six part of the New Zealand Marathons Championship
twenty twenty five is the christ Church Marathon Run Forrest
Run Event director Callum Nicholson joins the show.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Now, good morning, Yeah, good morning Darcy.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Big day for you. Tell as the event director, you're
responsible for well pretty much everything, aren't you. So you
tell us what we've got planned? What is it actually?
What does the event cover? The christ Chiach Marathon.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Yes, the Christach Marathon consists of four events. We've got
the full marathon, the Christich Marathon, We've got the MW
Traffic Management half marathon and the Go Media ten k,
and then we've got a kids and marathon as well,
so one in the two and three k kids and
marathon events that runs around Hacky Park.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
How well attended is this? I'm presuming it's very similar
to when I live back their way, way way back when,
and it was a very very popular event. Does that
change many or not?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
This year?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I'm really proud to say that this is going to
be the biggest event that's ever been held. We're currently
approaching six nine hundred registered entries, and that's almost thirty
percent up from last year, which was an increase about
thirty percent from the year before. So yeah, before the earthquakes,
the numbers were around about the five thousand, six thousand level,
and it's had a few challenges since then. But yeah,
(01:29):
we've got a bit of a strategy for it. We're
growing it's and I guess with christ which being so
the home of running, there's a lot of people running
christ It's nice and flats and a great place to come.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We're just seeing a lot of interest in this event.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yes, So the other events that are there, the other
three are they recent additions. They've always been around. Talk
to us about that.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Callum the half Mouth and has been around, I think
since roughly the inception of the marathon itself, so abound
about forty odd years or so. The ten k two
and I think the kids event started in the early
to mid two thousands.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Yeah, I don't have the exact numbers.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
I'm afraid I've only just taken over this role and
I'm learning the history myself because there's a very long
history of this event. You know, it started off with
the Commonwealth Games course way back in nineteen seventy four, I.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Believe out yet five years old. Even I can't remember
that far back on. I would like to, but yet, no,
it's not happening. Have you actually run the course yourself
and has it changed much?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Where's the footfall? Look?
Speaker 4 (02:26):
The course has changed a lot, particularly since since the earthquakes.
With the rebuild of the city, we've been changing the
course quite regularly due to the damage that was incurred.
New builds, new roads, et cetera, et cetera, So that
that was quite challenging. Over those original years, it was
hard for the city. They didn't really know what was
going on. You said, the marathon's happening, and people that
were where is it? What's going to affect what's going on?
(02:47):
Since COVID, where we had to unfortunately cancel a couple
of times, we've made some real fundamental changes. So we
moved the event from Queen's birthday, which was a bit
of a bit of a cold and weak time off,
and to hold the event, we moved from Queen's birthday
to that April. So that's been going on for a
few years and that's been a great success. You know,
the weather's nicer, helps to come out. And then the
second big change we made was we've focused on the
(03:09):
central city of christ Church. So the course is sexually
fall app course. It's contained within the four Ads of
christ Church. And what we're finding there is that's going
around all the new landmarks we every year we're just
changing just a little bit, Like this year we're going
past to Pie the Convention Center, which has recently opened
up a few years time.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
We hope to go past the new stadium, and.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
So it's really focused on that, which means people can
the city knows it's happening. It's in a smaller footprint,
the crowds are coming out, and we've seen the city
embrace it really. I think last year we had roughly
fifteen sixteen thousand spectators out there as long as as
well as that participant, So it's the businesses the city
sort of really sort of coming on this journey with us.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
And final thing, Calum, thanks for joining us. Favoritism amongst
the men and their women.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Oh yes, I mean it's a good question.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I was actually down down in the event village just
before talking to Oscar Bains, who's probably the favorite for
the full marathon. He's one, he's won a few of
ours before over the years and he's pretty pretty.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Committed to going for our record the year.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So I think that in the full marathon you'll see
Oscar at the front of that.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
The half is quite exciting, to be honest.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
In the male category, we've got probably five or so
runners here have really good sort of qualifying times. Last
year's winner Michael Voss is back, the twenty twenty three winners,
Julian Oakley is going to be there as well, and
also Chris Dryden who was second in twenty twenty four,
so the three of them have got some good pedigree.
And then Toby Gold is the other one. Na'm where
as up and coming and it's probably gonna challenge for that.
(04:38):
So everyone's pretty excited about the twenty one k in
particular half marathon.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
And the Wahunah Wahini.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Correct, thanks for reminding me there anaka Grogan she is
back again. She won it last year, so I'd like
to see her. So she's trying to get the the
two peek there and I think Bridget and dinnerhee she.
I don't think she's won christ Rich before, but yeah,
I think the woman's we're going to see a sort
of two horse race between Bridget and Anka.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
We're seeing you the best for that getting under way
at tomorrow morning. What seven thirty I think they start
for one of the legs. If you will Callum, thanks
for joining us. You have a wonderful morning in the
Christchurch Marathon, Great Sea, it's still going.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
Listen live to News Talk set be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
A twenty six part of the New Zealand Marathons Championship
twenty twenty five is the christ Church Marathon Run Forrest
Run Event director Callum Nicholson joins the show.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Now, good morning, Yeah, good morning Darcy.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Big day for you. Tell as the event director, you're
responsible for well pretty much everything, aren't you. So you
tell us what we've got planned? What is it actually?
What does the event cover? The christ Chiach Marathon.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Yes, the Christach Marathon consists of four events. We've got
the full marathon, the Christich Marathon, We've got the MW
Traffic Management half marathon and the Go Media ten k,
and then we've got a kids and marathon as well,
so one in the two and three k kids and
marathon events that runs around Hacky Park.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
How well attended is this? I'm presuming it's very similar
to when I live back their way, way way back when,
and it was a very very popular event. Does that
change many or not?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
This year?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
I'm really proud to say that this is going to
be the biggest event that's ever been held. We're currently
approaching six nine hundred registered entries, and that's almost thirty
percent up from last year, which was an increase about
thirty percent from the year before. So yeah, before the earthquakes,
the numbers were around about the five thousand, six thousand level,
and it's had a few challenges since then. But yeah,
(01:29):
we've got a bit of a strategy for it. We're
growing it's and I guess with christ which being so
the home of running, there's a lot of people running
christ It's nice and flats and a great place to come.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We're just seeing a lot of interest in this event.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yes, So the other events that are there, the other
three are they recent additions. They've always been around. Talk
to us about that.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Callum the half Mouth and has been around, I think
since roughly the inception of the marathon itself, so abound
about forty odd years or so. The ten k two
and I think the kids event started in the early
to mid two thousands.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Yeah, I don't have the exact numbers.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
I'm afraid I've only just taken over this role and
I'm learning the history myself because there's a very long
history of this event. You know, it started off with
the Commonwealth Games course way back in nineteen seventy four, I.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Believe out yet five years old. Even I can't remember
that far back on. I would like to, but yet, no,
it's not happening. Have you actually run the course yourself
and has it changed much?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Where's the footfall? Look?
Speaker 4 (02:26):
The course has changed a lot, particularly since since the earthquakes.
With the rebuild of the city, we've been changing the
course quite regularly due to the damage that was incurred.
New builds, new roads, et cetera, et cetera, So that
that was quite challenging. Over those original years, it was
hard for the city. They didn't really know what was
going on. You said, the marathon's happening, and people that
were where is it? What's going to affect what's going on?
(02:47):
Since COVID, where we had to unfortunately cancel a couple
of times, we've made some real fundamental changes. So we
moved the event from Queen's birthday, which was a bit
of a bit of a cold and weak time off,
and to hold the event, we moved from Queen's birthday
to that April. So that's been going on for a
few years and that's been a great success. You know,
the weather's nicer, helps to come out. And then the
second big change we made was we've focused on the
(03:09):
central city of christ Church. So the course is sexually
fall app course. It's contained within the four Ads of
christ Church. And what we're finding there is that's going
around all the new landmarks we every year we're just
changing just a little bit, Like this year we're going
past to Pie the Convention Center, which has recently opened
up a few years time.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
We hope to go past the new stadium, and.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
So it's really focused on that, which means people can
the city knows it's happening. It's in a smaller footprint,
the crowds are coming out, and we've seen the city
embrace it really. I think last year we had roughly
fifteen sixteen thousand spectators out there as long as as
well as that participant, So it's the businesses the city
sort of really sort of coming on this journey with us.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
And final thing, Calum, thanks for joining us. Favoritism amongst
the men and their women.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Oh yes, I mean it's a good question.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I was actually down down in the event village just
before talking to Oscar Bains, who's probably the favorite for
the full marathon. He's one, he's won a few of
ours before over the years and he's pretty pretty.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Committed to going for our record the year.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
So I think that in the full marathon you'll see
Oscar at the front of that.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
The half is quite exciting, to be honest.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
In the male category, we've got probably five or so
runners here have really good sort of qualifying times. Last
year's winner Michael Voss is back, the twenty twenty three winners,
Julian Oakley is going to be there as well, and
also Chris Dryden who was second in twenty twenty four,
so the three of them have got some good pedigree.
And then Toby Gold is the other one. Na'm where
as up and coming and it's probably gonna challenge for that.
(04:38):
So everyone's pretty excited about the twenty one k in
particular half marathon.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
And the Wahunah Wahini.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Correct, thanks for reminding me there anaka Grogan she is
back again. She won it last year, so I'd like
to see her. So she's trying to get the the
two peek there and I think Bridget and dinnerhee she.
I don't think she's won christ Rich before, but yeah,
I think the woman's we're going to see a sort
of two horse race between Bridget and Anka.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
We're seeing you the best for that getting under way
at tomorrow morning. What seven thirty I think they start
for one of the legs. If you will Callum, thanks
for joining us. You have a wonderful morning in the
Christchurch Marathon, Great Sea, it's still going.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
Listen live to News Talk set be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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