News & Updates

Michael Sutton will be chasing the New Zealand mountain running crown at Mt Maunganui on Saturday to add to the national 3000m steeplechase title he won in Wellington two weeks ago.

The 28-year-old from Tauranga heads a small but experienced field challenging the 11.6km climb up and down 710m.

Sutton has taken in the difficult mountain terrain in the past competing in the annual Boxing Day King of the Mountain, where he was second last year.

Stepping up for the title are Jono Jackson twice mountain champion in 2014 and 2021, champion in 2018 Niam Macdonald, 2019 champion and fifth last year Andy Good and 2021 junior champion Liam Dooley.

Also in for a podium placing is Toby Batchelor who was second last year in Queenstown and Te Anau parkrun organiser Segar Khemani. Batchelor was the best performed New Zealander in the men’s uphill race at the World Mountain Running Championships in Thailand last November.

Sarah Douglas will defend the women’s title held over the same course as the men at 3pm. Douglas also won the title in 2014 and 2016. Douglas competed with distinction in the uphill and up and downhill races at the 2022 World Mountain & Trail Running Championships.

Kerry White, the former national cross country champion and second in the Queen of the Mountain race in 2021, will be in action along with Kate Morrison who was third in Queenstown last year. Susannah Lynch second in 2021 and Andrea Peat third in 2019 will be challenging for a medal.

Benjamin Rickerby who won the junior men’s title last year and went on to represent New Zealand at the World Mountain & Trail Running Championships is back ready to make it two years in a row.

Ben Scott third last year and Josh Jordan fourth will compete in the 6.6km, 410m up and down scramble. Louie Endres silver medallist in both the U18 steeplechase and cross country in 2022 is ready to pit his skills on the mountain test along with Jack Snedden.

Matthew Parsonage is one of the leading masters who will be starting at 2.15pm with the junior men.

The junior women compete over the same course as the junior men. Siena Mackley is the defending champion and faces a strong field including Boh Ritchie, who has snared the national U18 1500m and 3000m titles and the U20 mile crown this year. Sophie Robb, second last year is back and Bella Earl and Courtney Fitzgibbon always run an honest race. The master women compete with the juniors at 1.30pm. Julie Mercer, Margie Peat and Jenni Johnson will be running.

***More information on the race and start times here

***For results go here