Welcome to our FAQ's page. Here you can find answers to some of our common questions. If you've still got a burning question please reach out to our team
Contact usEveryone - any age, any fitness stage. Just pick the start group that matches your pace.
Match your expected finish time to one of these start groups. If in doubt, start further back - you can always move forward next time. There's no rush! Your race time doesn’t start until you cross the start line mats.
Start groups:
* Elite Wheelchair/Disability & Elite Runner (sub 36 mins)
* CELSIUS® Runner (36-50mins)
* Jogger (50-80mins)
* Walker and Non Elite Wheelchair/Disability (80+ mins)
* Wellington Half Marathon (sub 90 mins & over 90 mins)
Yes, absolutely - head to the Teams page to get started.
The course in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch is 8.4km. There is also a certified Half Marathon course in Wellington.
Plus in Wellington, we have a family-friendly 5.5km course for those who might need it. Just sign up for the 8.4km event and take a sneaky short cut on the day.
Here our Bib Collection venues for each location:
Wellington
Hnry Stadium, 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011
Open Hours
Friday 12 February: 8.00am - 7.00pm
Saturday 13 February: 8.00am - 4.00pm
Christchurch
Majestic on Durham, 189 Durham Street South, Christchurch Central
Open Hours
Friday 12 February: 8.00am - 7.00pm
Saturday 13 February: 8.00am - 4.00pm
Auckland
Victory Convention Centre, 98 Beaumont Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland Central
Open Hours
Thursday 4 March: 11.00am - 4.00pm corporate teams only / 4.00pm - 7.00pm all participants
Friday 5 March: 8.00am - 7.00pm
Saturday 6 March: 8.00am - 4.00pm
No problem. A friend or family member can pick up your bib on your behalf from Bib Collection.
They just need to bring along a copy of your confirmation email with the QR code on it. The confirmation email will be emailed to you a few days before Bib Collection opens.
If you're a Team Manager and unable to make it to Bib Collection to pick up your team members' bibs, you can nominate someone else to pick up the team bibs for you.
Wellington
The start line for the 8.4km and Half Marathon course is on the corner of Oriental Parade and Herd Street, alongside Waitangi Park
Christchurch
Corner of Humphries Drive and Tidal View, Ferrymead
Auckland
Corner of Quay Street and Tangihua Street
Arrive at the start line at least 30 minutes early, and ensure you’re in the right start group location before the gun goes off. Our full race day schedule can be found on our event day pages:
Christchurch event day schedule
Before putting your bag in the gear drop truck, ear the gear tag from your bib and attach it to your bag – the tag and your bib share the same number, making your bag easy to locate.
Please note: no valuables, backpacks or handbags are accepted.
Please refer to our event day pages for gear drop information:
Please refer to our event day pages for more information with regards to transport, road closures and parking:
Wellington transport, road closures and parking
Please refer to our event day pages for more information about our event day schedules and timing:
8.4km course
Simple answer is yes – you’ll need to be at the following points at these times: 5km to go mark at 11:00am, 3km to go mark at 11:30am,and 1km to go mark at 12:00pm. This is to ensure all roads can be fully operational for the public within the required times.
Please note the start time is subject to change and all participants must have crossed the start line prior to 10:15am, and completed the course at the finish by 12:15pm, as required by the council.
If necessary on the day, these times may change and instructions from marshalling staff will be final. If a participant is outside of the course cut off times the participant will be disqualified and must take responsibility for their actions and make their own arrangements for any support after this time. Stuff will not be obliged to refund any portion of the entry fee in such circumstances.
Half Marathon course
To keep everyone safe and to ensure that participants are kept clear of vehicles, there are two important time checkpoints for the Half Marathon event that you need to be aware of. These time limits are in place for your safety. Once the road reopens, we can’t guarantee a secure running environment — and keeping you safe is our top priority.
• 6km Checkpoint: You must reach the 6km mark by 9:15am. If you arrive after this time, you’ll be given a ‘disqualified’ sticker and directed to follow the Fun Run (8.4km) course instead.
• Turnaround Point: You must reach the turnaround at Scorching Bay by 11:00am. After 11.00am, the road will begin to be reopened to vehicles (from Scorching Bay back towards the airport) and we cannot allow runners to continue further on the course. There will be provisions for anyone needing to be collected from here. The road at the finish line will be open to traffic from 1.00pm. Please ensure that you have crossed the finish line before then.
We recommend that participants bring their own drink bottles, but there will be a handful of water stations on the 8.4km courses and in the finish line areas.
For the Wellington Half Marathon, water stations will be at the following locations:
If your child has become lost, please head to the Information Tent at the start line, finish line or in the Hospitality Zone area and report their details to the event organisers. They will then take immediate action to ascertain your child’s whereabouts.
We are prepared for accidents. Hato Hone St John is located at the start area, along the course near the water stations and at the finish area.
Should you injure yourself or witness an incident whilst participating in the event, please report this as soon as possible to event staff or to the team at the information tent at the finish line.
There will be a number of pacers on the Half Marathon course with the following pace times:
There will be accessible toilets at the start line, on the course and at the finish line.
Yes, but for everyone’s safety, you’ll need to sign up under the Walker/Non Elite Wheelchair start groups. Strictly no pushchairs or buggies permitted in any of the other start groups.
Due to the sheer scale of the events and for everyone’s safety, scooters are not permitted on the course.
Registered service animals are welcome to join you at the event. However, no pets are permitted on the course.
If you have a registered service animal, sign up to the Non Elite Wheelchair/Disability start group to ensure the safety of your service animal on the course.
Please also email the team at roundthebays@stuff.co.nz to let them know that you'll be bringing your service animal on the day.
Absolutely! Your guide/support person can accompany you at Southern Cross Round the Bays, no charge. However, if they’re looking to compete alongside you and get their own race time and medal, they will need to enter themselves separately.
Please contact us at roundthebays@stuff.co.nz if you would like to take part with a guide.
Don't stress! Come see our friendly staff at the Information Tent in the finish line area.I
If you get home and realise you have lost something, contact us at roundthebays@stuff.co.nz and let us know what you have lost, along with your first name, last name, email address, phone number and bib number. We'll then contact you if your items are found.
Yes, there will be food trucks at the finish line in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as well our partners' activations for you to enjoy.
Each hospo site can accommodate 30 people or fewer, depending on what other furniture and equipment you have within your site boundaries.
Please ensure that you book enough Hospo Packages to accommodate all of your team members within your site. We'd hate for anyone to miss out!
Due to the scale and nature of each event, we will be releasing site numbers approximately one week out from the event. We will also send you the Site Managers Guide at the same time which outlines all you need to know for event day, including pack in and pack out times.
Hospo Packages are allocated on a first purchased, first served basis.
Final Hospo Package booking deadlines are as follows, if not sold out prior:
Wellington - 5.00pm Friday 5 February
Christchurch - 5.00pm Friday 12 February
Auckland - 5.00pm Friday 26 February
We do not currently have a preferred catering supplier for the RTB27 series.
Please organise your own catering and deliver it to your hospo site on the morning of the event during pack in times.
