Whanganui 3 Bridges Marathon a success at new Kowhai Park base

The Whanganui 3 Bridges Half-Marathon gets under way for 2024, with 227 runners ultimately crossing the finish line. Photo / Peter Jones

Aid stations were a must at this year’s Whanganui 3 Bridges Marathon as competitors battled heat and humidity.

This year’s course was slightly different, starting and finishing at Kowhai Park instead of Pākaitore.

The men’s marathon run was won by Silverdale’s Gene Rand in 2:44.15, with Auckland’s Gabriela Diver home first in the women’s category in 3:20.49. Whanganui’s Joe Steward won the men’s half-marathon in 1:10.06. Internationally renowned athlete Sally Gibbs, also from Whanganui, logged 1:26:54 to win the women’s half-marathon. In the 5km run, Whakatāne’s Cooper Hogan finished in 17:55 – three seconds off Ben Conder’s 2019 course record.

Co-organiser Rob Conder, of the Wanganui Harrier Club, said feedback had been positive so far.

“You always wonder if changes will go down the right way but people were saying it (Kowhai Park) had a really nice atmosphere,” he said. “They seemed to enjoy the new course, even if it got a bit hot out there,” he said. Temperatures climbed steadily on December 1, reaching a high of 25C as the races progressed.

The marathon walk and run began at 6am, with the kids’ race last at 12.30pm. Conder said the aim was to make the event “a little bit better” every year.

“Every time we grow we try to add something else.

“None of this would be possible without the help of Whanganui people and Whanganui businesses.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.