New Zealand’s Top Road Runners Gear Up for 2025 Auckland Marathon
With the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon presented by ASICS just days away, New Zealand’s top road runners are putting the final touches to their preparations for the 34th edition of the country’s biggest and most iconic festival of running.
Three former champions and a host of talented challengers will toe the line on Sunday, as the field of elite marathoners promises close and fast racing across the Harbour Bridge and through the heart of the city.
Last year, Brigid Dennehy made a stunning marathon debut, winning the Auckland Marathon in 2:41:31 – just two seconds shy of the women’s course record that’s stood for more than 10 years.
Now, the Irish-born Aucklander is returning for another crack at the title and course record – fresh off the back of a personal best half marathon run in Melbourne last month.
“After winning last year and being so close to the record, it has added a bit more pressure knowing it is within reach, but this has also motivated me,” said Dennehy. “I have lost count of the number of times people have asked me about this and I haven’t been afraid in saying that is what I set out to do. As I say, ‘The Harbour Bridge doesn’t scare me, but my goals do’.
“Last year I was aware of the record, but the goal of the race was to finish and enjoy it. I felt good as the race progressed and I asked some of my support crew on course how close I was to the record – unfortunately the online tracker was a bit off and we thought I was a few minutes behind. I had a lead of a few minutes, so I did ease off the pace. As I turned into Halsey Street, I realised I was still under the time and put the hammer down but just fell short,” she said.
Having lived in Auckland for the past few years, Dennehy sees this race as a home game – and is excited to experience the feeling of running through the city she calls home with friends, family, and supporters cheering for her along the way.
“It was very special coming down Tamaki Drive in front of a home crowd. The support out on the course was incredible, and the personal cheers meant more than words can express,” said Dennehy. “Auckland’s running community is amazing. I know there’ll be a fantastic group of runners pacing around the same speed on Sunday, as well as so many others out on the course, and I can’t wait to work together and share the marathon journey with them.”
While Dennehy is still relatively inexperienced at the 42.2km distance, her likely closest challenger Alice Mason has been winning marathons for many years. The Wellington runner is a two-time Auckland Marathon champion and also boast wins at the Wellington, Christchurch, and Rotorua Marathons.
Even so, it’s been two years since Mason last raced a marathon – her 2023 win in Auckland – following pregnancy and the birth of her daughter.
“My last marathon was winning Auckland two years ago and shortly after that I was pregnant with my now one-year-old daughter. I'm pretty excited to finally be getting back on a marathon start line,” said Mason. “My little boy was 15 months old when I last raced Auckland and so I'm really looking forward to him being able to see me run – and hopefully be old enough to understand what's going on at three and a bit – but currently he thinks he's going to be running with me next Sunday ‘because he's really fast’, so hopefully he's not too disappointed!”
Heading into Sunday’s race, Mason is tapering her training and expectations – adopting a less is more approach as she fits in her running around being a mum to two young kids and working part-time as a doctor.
“My training has been steadily improving over the last month or two, but I would say my training approach this time has been less is more,” said Mason. “I don't have too many expectations going into the race. Hoping to make the distance firstly and hopefully have fun and not have the wheels fall off too much over the final 10km.”
In the men’s race, 2023 Auckland Marathon champion Daniel Balchin will line up as the favourite to claim this year’s title. The Otago runner has also finished as runner-up twice – including last year where he finished 11 seconds behind the winner in a sprint finish.
“Last year there was a solid field of closely matched runners at the front. I executed my own race pretty well and got beaten to the line in a bit of a sprint off toward the end. It was a memorable race for me. If I can pull off another race like that, I’ll be happy. You never know what form the competition will bring each year, you can just focus on executing your own race plan,” said Balchin.
Balchin will return this weekend for his fourth consecutive Auckland Marathon, drawn back each year by the course and competition.
“The Auckland Marathon is the country’s largest and most competitive marathon – it’s a cool title to have on your running resume,” he said.
“The course is unique for a New Zealand marathon. Running through the streets of the country’s largest city, crossing the Harbour Bridge and finishing the race in the CBD is awesome. The atmosphere that the volunteers and supporters provide throughout the entire length of the course is great. This gives you a boost when the racing gets tough. I also enjoy the competition this event attracts. I have had memorable races over the previous years and look forward to having more.”
Hoping that 2025 is the year the pieces finally fall into place at the Auckland Marathon is hometown hope Cameron Graves. The North Shore runner has raced the 42.2km distance twice, finishing second in 2021 and 10th last year.
“There's always a strong field at the Auckland Marathon and I would be lying if I said my eyes weren't on the top step of the podium, but the real battle is between the course and I,” said Graves. “If I can stay relaxed over the opening stages of the course and fuel properly throughout, I'll be in a good position to wreak some havoc of the closing 10km's of the course. I've ended up walking at about 30km's in my first two attempts at the Auckland Marathon, so I know how brutal this course can be if you go too hard in the early stages and run a little outside of your level of fitness.”
Despite another rollercoaster run-in to this year’s race courtesy of “some cranky lower limbs”, Graves is feeling fit and fired up for his third crack at the title that would mean so much to him.
“So far it's 2-0 to the course, but I have a feeling this year I’m ready to hit back,” he said. “It doesn't get better than racing your home marathon. I run these streets seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. I'm a proud Aucklander and love seeing the city come alive through running. The number of run clubs and brands that have invested in the Auckland running scene over the past few years has been crazy to witness – running has absolutely blown up in the 09.
“For me, I've been obsessed with running way before it was cool, I've built my life around the sport, and it's brought me so many incredible life experiences and introduced me to so many amazing humans. Winning at home brings a different kind of pride, you get to share the experience with the community that helped build you, you get to celebrate with those that trained alongside you. Bring on race day, Auckland.”
Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon Elite Field (as of Thursday 30 October)
Women
F2 – Brigid Dennehy
F3 – Alice Mason
F4 – Rachel O'Brien
F5 – Natasha Richards
F6 – Angeline Wreford
Men
M1 – Cullern Thorby
M2 – Cam Graves
M3 – Daniel Balchin
M4 – Michael Voss
M5 – Joshua Stewart
M6 – Riley Henley
M7 – Luke Cotter
M8 – Otmane Menbar
M9 – Jacob Priddey
M10 – Jack Robinson
M11 – Yusuke Shibuya
M12 – Hiro Tanimoto
M13 – Casey Thorby
The Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Marathon begins at 6:00am on Sunday, while runners in the Garmin Half Marathon start their day at 6:50am.
In the half marathon, Lisa Cross and Julian Oakley will line up as hot favourites in the women’s and men’s elite races respectively. Cross is a three-time winner of the women’s Auckland Half Marathon, while Oakley is the 2022 men’s Auckland Half Marathon champion.
Garmin Half Marathon Elite Field
Women
F1 – Bethany Bromfield
4005 – Hannah Bodle
4006 – Lisa Cross
4007 – Olivia Cummings
4009 – Jasmine Finney
4012 – Maisie Kilner
4013 – Rebecca Lowe
4018 – Bara Styblova
4020 – Phillipa Williams
25784 – Katrina Andrew
Men
4001 – Taonga Mbambo
4002 – Julian Oakley
4003 – Mike Robinson
4004 – Matthew Arnold
4008 – Christopher Dryden
4010 – Connor Johnston
4015 – Matt Smith
4016 – Darian Sorouri
4017 – Joe Steward
4019 – Matthew Taylor
4021 – Alex Witt
