Community Spirit Shines At The Kāpiti Half Marathon 2024 Presented By A Partnership Between Howard & Co And Voyle & Co

KĀPITI COAST, NOVEMBER 10, 2024 – The picturesque trails and vibrant community of Kāpiti played host to an exhilarating day of achievement and camaraderie at this year's Kāpiti Half Marathon. Well, that was the plan. Instead the record breaking 2100 participants had to adapt to a flooded river that took out half of the Half Marathon course forcing an adapted 2 lap course that focused on local roads and the Waikanae Scientific Estuary.

The weather didn’t deter the joy, grit and community that came together to celebrate the largest ever collection of runners and walkers on the Kāpiti Coast. The event, held on Sunday 10th November, saw a record-breaking number of participants with 2135 entries across four different distances: Half Marathon, 10km, 5km, 2km.

Local Heroes and Remarkable Achievements

The event grew by over 50% compared to 2023 and had participants attend from across the country and the world. But it was Kāpiti's heart that made it shine. Manly street and Marine parade were lined with local residents coming out to support the walkers and runners and the on-course activations kept athletes smiling and shining all day.

Event Director Bengy Barsanti was particularly pleased with the range of athletes and how they seamlessly adapted to the late changes,

“The spread was inspiring to see. We had 23 athletes in our 70+ age category and an amazing 250 young athletes competing in the Coastlands 2km event. Participants competing for the Kia Dash for Cash and those taking part in their first ever 5km.”

“It’s never easy when you have to change courses at the last minute but the river trail we love to run on was completely underwater and unsafe. It meant last minute course changes trying to match up distances and adaptations to HQ that caused some unexpected chaos later on but the athletes took it all in their stride. I am so grateful that almost without fail people understood.”

“All good learnings as we try to make the Kāpiti Half, New Zealand's leading running festival.”

The adapted 2 loop Kia Kāpiti Half Marathon (21km) course meant for a fantastic spectator experience. Jeroen Mattheus the eventual winner of a tight fought battle in the male event said,

“coming back through HQ and all the cheers gave me chills. It was one of the highlights of my running career.”

Jeroen, who was last year's champion, was happy to have chosen to defend his crown rather than go for the money in the Kia Dash for Cash,

“the eventual winner of the Dash for Cash was way too fast for me.” He laughed. He then went on to thank all the runners and supporters. “It was truly a great day for running in Kāpiti”.

Cath Braddock, a Paraparaumu College staff member, fresh off her second place in the Tāupo Ultramarathon 70km event went one better and won the female 21km event on her home turf. Cath has become a local star and not only represents Kāpiti with pride but also with grace and a smile. A true Kāpiti stalwart.

One of the heartwarming highlights was from local hero, Mia Thompson, a young Kāpiti resident, who ran strategically in the Elevation Homes 5km event focusing solely on the Kia Kāpiti Dash for Cash winning the female race and taking home the $1000 prize money. Speaking about her achievement later, Mia outlined her plan and excitement of winning,

“It was great to have something really different as part of lots of different races, I had a plan and knew if I got it right I had a chance. I warmed up, stretched the legs and then went for it.”

Mia managed the last kilometre in an incredible 3minutes 19 seconds, 30 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. An amazing feat.

“I’m going to buy a new pair of spikes, put some towards getting to my next race and then the rest in some savings.”

Mia, who is only 12 years old, is certainly one to watch and just one of the incredible local talents on display.

The male Kia Dash for Cash was won by Eric Speakman, a Wellington runner who has represented New Zealand at multiple events. His incredible time of 2:37 lit the field up.

Eric said of his win,

“We don’t get many opportunities to get money in the running world. I am aiming to go to compete in the USA later in the year and it is all self funded. This is going to go straight into that fund.”

Eric, a school teacher from the Hutt Valley was confident but not sure what to expect,

“I thought we might see a few more high quality runners here. Word will certainly get around, it’s a really cool concept. My coach threatened to send some of his elite young guns as I am supposed to be on a long training day today. Not sure he was happy, I said one of those km’s might have to be pretty quick.”

In the Run the Coast 10km, breaking another record with 727 athletes taking part, was won by Jonny Atkins, visiting the region from Daniverke, held off tight competition to top the overall standings of the 10km male field with a 39:07. Kāpiti native and primary school student Maggie Barke showed exceptional talent by finishing first woman overall — setting a new personal best of 46:36 minutes.

Bengy is particularly pleased with the young people stepping up into the 10km event,

“Maggie is only 11 years old! These young people not only show the level of talent locally but also prove we can all do it.”

The growth and popularity of the Kāpiti Half marathon is an achievement that Bengy and his team at Barefoot Sport are particularly proud of,

“It is no longer a ‘little local event’. The Kāpiti Half has really become a national event with a real community heart.“

The entire event brought out the competitive and fun spirit among local clubs, communities and businesses. “The Fast and the Finance” won the Dark Horse Team Challenge for the largest team, bringing a mammoth 32 members making it a day out to celebrate physical activity and mental health in the workplace. Their achievement reflects the strength and dedication of Kāpiti's thriving running community. The team wins 6 months worth of coffee kindly provided by Dark Horse Coffee.

In the Coastlands 2km race, 250 participants showed that family activity is alive and well showcasing youthful enthusiasm and potential. An event designed to encourage families and young people to stretch their legs and finish under the same banner as everyone else was a sight to behold and the highlight of the day for many.

Community and Support

Organised by Barefoot Sport, a Kāpiti business, the Kāpiti Half Marathon was more than just an event; it was a celebration of community spirit. Local businesses and volunteers came together to ensure the event's success, providing refreshments, logistics support, and entertainment throughout the day. Stalls and activities featured local crafts and produce, adding to the community feel and festive atmosphere.

Event Director, Bengy Barsanti, expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic participation and community backing,

"Seeing participants of all ages and from different walks of life come together is what makes the Kāpiti Half Marathon truly special. We're proud to foster a sense of health, well-being, and community cohesion. Our volunteer workforce was just immense. When they had the chance to leave because of the course change they all refused and lined the streets cheering on our athletes.”

In 3 years we have grown from 700 participants to over 2000. Our athletes raised over $7000 for 2 local charities, Kaibosh and Waikanae Estuary Care group, with a mixture of donations, fundraising or choosing to plant a tree rather than receive a medal. It is really humbling for us to see how generous our participants and community are considering the current climate.”

Looking Forward

With its growing popularity, the Kāpiti Half Marathon continues to cement its place on the nation's event calendar. Plans are already underway to expand the event next year, with hopes of attracting even more participants and celebrating new stories of triumph and vitality.

Bengy added,

“It is fantastic to have a Kāpiti event up there with the larger running events in New Zealand. It is designed to celebrate our piece of paradise and apart from the weather today, we did that. The team is excited to bring the learnings from this year into the years to come.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our sponsors for their support this year, especially Howard & Co and Voyle and Co for coming on as the first ever title sponsor of the event.”

For more information and a complete list of results, visit the Kāpiti Half Marathon official website at www.kapitihalf.co.nz

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