More than 3200 people are running the full 42.2km course in this year's Auckland Marathon. Photo / Dean Purcell
More than 3200 people are running the full 42.2km course in this year's Auckland Marathon. Photo / Dean Purcell
The quickest feet running in this year’s Auckland Marathon have started to cross the finish line, with some of New Zealand’s top runners returning to the fore alongside fresh faces and veteran participants.
Daniel Balchin has been crowned the men’s title winner in the full-length course- a 42.2km-long winding run starting at Devonport and finishing at Victoria Park in the CBD.
2024 champion Brigid Dennehy crossed the finish line soon after, securing the women’s full marathon title for the second year in a row.
Dennehy finished last year’s run at 2h 41m 31s, two seconds behind the women’s record that was set one decade before.
Christchurch athlete Christopher Dryden completed the Garmin Half Marathon earlier this morning, winning the men’s title, while local Lisa Cross won the women’s, bringing her Auckland Half Marathon title count to four.
Finishing times for the winning athletes will be verified soon.
More than 17,000 runners are on the streets today for the 34th Auckland Marathon. Photo / Dean Purcell
The marathon
More than 17,000 people are taking to Auckland’s streets today as part of Auckland Marathon 2025.
Auckland Marathon said more than 3200 runners signed up for the 34th edition of the full marathon, the highest number since 2014.
Other runners in the wider event will be taking part in the half marathon, 11km traverse, the 5km distance or the 2.2km kids’ run.
There is also both a marathon and a half marathon in the wheelchair division.
A huge range of entrants are taking part this year, with the youngest participant being 5 years old and the oldest 87.
The courses
Runners will be making their way across Auckland during the 2025 marathon. Photo / Auckland Marathon
The full and half marathons both started in Devonport, while the 11km traverse started further north at Smales Farm.
Runners will go over the Auckland Harbour Bridge, before crossing paths with the kids’ run start line on Fanshawe St and the 5km start at Karanga Plaza.
The full marathon course extends out to St Heliers Bay, with runners then turning around and heading back to Victoria Park, where all participants will finish.
Road closures
Notable participants
In her 2024 marathon debut, Dennehy finished with a time of 2h 41m 31s, only two seconds shy of the women’s course record.
“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.
Two-time Auckland Marathon champion Alice Mason is back in the women’s race after a two-year absence because of her 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 1-year-old daughter. I’m pretty excited to finally be getting back on a marathon start line,” Mason said.
“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.”
In the men’s race, Otago’s Daniel Balchin is considered to be one of the favourites, having won the race in 2023 and being runner-up last year.
Rod Gill will run his 10th Auckland Half Marathon in a row this weekend – and his 200th half marathon in 10 years. Photo / Auckland Marathon
In the half marathon, 79-year-old Rod Gill from Hamilton will be looking to complete his 200th marathon and will mark the end of a decade-long journey that started when he took up running at 70.
“I never planned to run 200 half marathons. It just happened,” said Rod.
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