Biggest Auckland Marathon in 10 Years Takes to the Streets this Sunday
More than 17,000 registered participants are putting the final touches to their race day preparations as the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon presented by ASICS returns this Sunday.
New Zealand’s biggest and most iconic festival of running has proved more popular than ever this year, with total event registrations at their highest since 2014. The Auckland Marathon has also seen the highest number of registered marathoners for more than 10 years, while the 11km Traverse sold out last week.
The 33rd edition of the event will see runners and walkers take on one of five distances, the Barfoot & Thompson Marathon, Garmin Half Marathon, One New Zealand 11km Traverse, United Airlines 5km, and the Barfoot & Thompson 2.2km Kids Run.
The Auckland Marathon celebrates all that is great about New Zealand’s biggest city, guiding runners through the CBD, along the waterfront, and across the iconic Harbour Bridge. All athletes will complete their journey in Victoria Park, the Auckland Marathon’s vibrant finish line in the heart of the city.
Auckland Marathon Regional Director Amy MacCormack says the team is excited to see so many runners and walkers embrace the event and can’t wait to see everyone out on course this Sunday achieving their goals and celebrating their successes with friends and family.
“The support from participants and the Auckland community this year has been incredible as we get ready for the biggest Auckland Marathon in 10 years, with more than 17,000 runners and walkers signed up to take part in the 2024 edition,” said MacCormack. “This is an event Aucklanders take great pride in, with 68% of participants coming from the city, while the nearly a third of runners coming from outside the city will inject a huge boost into the local economy.
“It’s amazing to see thousands of people keen to challenge themselves across one of the five distances on offer at the Auckland Marathon and we know that they’ll love doing just that as they take to the streets of Tāmaki Makaurau this weekend and enjoy the best views the city has to offer.”
Annie Dundas, Director Destination Tātaki Auckland Unlimited said, “Participation events are a key part of our strategy for Tāmaki Makaurau and we’re delighted to be supporting the Auckland Marathon again this year. This event showcases our harbour, maunga and urban cityscape, plus it has something for everyone – from performance athletes to whānau. It has become a favourite with Aucklanders as well as people travelling specifically to compete and we’re looking forward to welcoming participants and supporters from around the motu and overseas for this iconic event.”
Amongst the party, giving back to charity is an integral part of the Auckland Marathon. There are 10 official charities aligned with the event this year, with plenty more being supported by athletes through their participation. Nearly 7,000 donators have raised more than $350,000 so far.
- Auckland Marathon Official Charities
- Bowel Cancer New Zealand
- Cancer Society Auckland & Northland
- Canteen Aotearoa
- Gut Cancer Foundation
- I Am Hope
- Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
- Mercy Hospice
- Movember
- Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand
- Starship Foundation
Heading into Sunday, the Auckland Marathon team has put together some of the facts and figures that make up this year’s event.
- Over 17,000 registered participants – the most since 2014
- More than 3,000 registered marathoners, the highest number for more than 10 years
- An almost even gender split, with 51% male and 49% female registered athletes
- The marathon distance in 2024 has proved popular with women, with registered female participants up 44% compared to last year
- 35 is the average age of participants
- The youngest runner is five years old, while the oldest is 86 years old
- 62% of participants are first timers to the event
- Aucklanders make up 68% of participants
- 57 nationalities are represented this year
- The most represented nations are New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, United States, and China
- $600,000 is the target charity fundraising amount for the 2024 event
- 800 volunteers will help make the event a success
