Mountain Jade carvers, who created the TMiler finisher pounamu toki, are competing in the Tarawera Ultra‑Trail 2026 event.
From left: Akapita Scally, Daniel Malcolm, Tamaora Walker, Jason Vercoe and Dylan Hati.
Mountain Jade carvers, who created the TMiler finisher pounamu toki, are competing in the Tarawera Ultra‑Trail 2026 event.
From left: Akapita Scally, Daniel Malcolm, Tamaora Walker, Jason Vercoe and Dylan Hati.
More than 5600 runners will compete in the Tarawera Ultra‑Trail this weekend, as the annual Rotorua event marks its biggest in history.
The 17th Tarawera Ultra‑Trail by UTMB is on Saturday and Sunday. The five courses include running through the Whakarewarewa Forest and past lakes, waterfalls and geothermal landscapes, beforefinishing at the Village Green in the CBD.
A UTMB statement said the distances were the TMiler (100 miles / 163km), T102 (102km), T50 (50km), T21 (21km), and the new T14 (14km).
Of the registered runners, 55% were from overseas, from 80 countries. The five most represented nationalities outside of New Zealand were Australia, Great Britain, the United States, France, and China.
Tarawera Ultra‑Trail by UTMB regional director Tanya Carroll said the event’s growth reflected its global appeal and its “strong connection to place”.
“While the event continues to grow, what remains unchanged is the sense of connection to these trails, to the people who care for them, and to the community that makes Tarawera what it is.”
Culture and community remained at the heart of Tarawera Ultra‑Trail by UTMB - an event delivered in close partnership with tangata whenua and the Rotorua community since its inception in 2009, the statement said.
“That connection is reflected not only along the trails, but also at the finish line, where TMiler athletes receive a pounamu toki, crafted especially for the event.”
Six carvers from Mountain Jade – the artists who create the TMiler finisher pounamu toki — were lining up to compete in the T50 this weekend.
“There is something uniquely powerful about running through this environment, surrounded by stories, history and people who care deeply for these lands,” Carroll said.
“The manaakitanga of Rotorua, the passion of our volunteers – many of whom have been part of Tarawera since the beginning – and the shared experience between runners and supporters are what truly define this event.”
Mountain Jade carver Tamaora Walker told the Rotorua Daily Post he and his work peers had completed the 21km race twice.
“Now we’ve moved up to the T50. And then hopefully ... we probably will do the 100 next year and then on to the miler,” the 41-year-old said.
“We thought we may as well try and do every single race.”
Mountain Jade carvers are competing in the T50 race at the Tarawera Ultra‑Trail 2026 event. From left: Akapita Scally, Daniel Malcolm, Tamaora Walker, Jason Vercoe and Dylan Hati.
Walker said the team had been training hard but felt “slightly underprepared”.
“We’re focusing a lot on our triathlon training though ... another goal is hoping to become Iron Men as well in the next couple of years.”
Walker said the team ran “in and around town”, the Redwoods Forest, and Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake).
“We’re fortunate enough that Mountain Jade allows us to train at lunchtime for an hour every day.”
Setting a goal for the race had been taken “off the table”.
“In previous years, because, you know, being Māori and being real competitive, we were just racing each other all the time ... we felt like it was losing the joy because it was more about who wins and who loses.
“Now the goal is, we start together, and we finish together.”
Walker said the team crossed the T21 finish line together last year.
“That was awesome.”
More than 5600 runners will participate in the Tarawera Ultra‑Trail this weekend in Rotorua.
Walker said the team of seven carvers had carved about 500 pounamu toki for the miler athletes this year and loved that it meant “so much” to competitors.
