New Zealand Masters Games entries sit squarely on 3100 after the close of the office in Wanganui yesterday, well ahead of the same period for the 2011 event.
The 3000 figure was reached in the second week of January in 2011.
The dash is now on for entrants to beat the January 11 deadline when the entry price goes up $20 from $60 to $80. Office staff are girding their loins for a rush in the next two weeks - the vast majority of entries have been online (2357 to 750 by other means).
The 3100 total shows 2939 from New Zealand, and 147 from Australia. Other countries are: United Kingdom 9, Canada 5, the Netherlands and Sri Lanka 2 each, United States and French Polynesia 1 each.
Leading New Zealand areas are Wanganui 1191, Manawatu 374, Wellington 337, Auckland 209, Taranaki 180, Waikato 114 and Bay of Plenty 108. The largest age-group remains the 45-49 (489), and there still just the nine entrants above 90.