WAI2K COURSE

THE WAI2K COURSE

COURSE UPDATES - PLEASE NOTE
SWINGBRIDGE TRACK IS CLOSED UNTIL 2024, SO RUNNERS WILL BE DIVERTED AT SWINGBRIDGE CARPARK OVER THE SHORTER BRIDGE INSTEAD.

83KM/100KM RUNNERS: BACK ROAD ALONG THE INCLINE IS STILL CLOSED, SO WE WILL SIMPLY STICK TO THE MAIN INCLINE TRAIL.

COURSE MAP
(Including Marshal points/Aid Stations/Combined courses)

100K COURSE GPX DL

wai2k2021100.gpx
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A BRIEF OVERVIEW

The WAI2K is an adventure race, meaning it is a tough (at times brutally so) endurance event over a mixed terrain course. There are rivers to cross, river beds to run, some fairly dense scrub to run through in places, hills, steep technical downhills in parts, and many trails to explore. There is a LOT of elevation, so do NOT underestimate this course.

The First 30km or so

The Tauherenikau River leg. Some boulder-hopping, mild river crossings.
Bucks road to Pylon Track via Frith Track. Rugged terrain single trail. This will be a challenge for most! Gorse, scrub and some stunning views.
Pylon to Kaitoke. This trail is fairly open 4WD trails with a bit of canopy before the trail opens out to Kaitoke.
Kaitoke to Rivendell. Private farmland across to Rivendell campsite. Here we take Norbett Creek Loop Track - 400m climb, before heading back down to do a short loop over the swing bridge track before entering the forest to head up to Kaitoke Ridge Track. A steep climb here of around 400m
Kaitoke Ridge Track. About 8km until you reach the steep grassy bank before hitting the car park at Te Marua. Shoot off and check out the lookout if you have time!

The Second 30km or so

Te Marua to Tunnel Gully:
Runners head under SH2 towards Tunnel Gully. 46km/60km runners head right up Station Drive towards Upper Picnic area for the 46km finish. 60km runners divert just prior to the picnic area, and follow the tunnel around the 5km course before hitting Climie out and back to finish

The last 40km or so

100K/84km Runners:
You'll get to run through the beautiful groomed trails of Goat Rock towards the Remutaka Incline.

Rimutaka Incline/Rail Trail to Cross Creek:
You'll need your head torch here as there are some old Railway tunnels to run through. One of them is about 800m long!
It's relatively flat, and then downhill towards Cross Creek.
Cross Creek to Tunnel Gully
Runners now have the return journey with a slight detour around the Back Road. Heading back to Upper Picnic area at Tunnel Gully, 84km runners finish here. 100km runners must follow the 2km route around and hit possibly the steepest part of the run up Climie before coming home with 6km of steep downhill. Brutal.

Course Outline

I'm not going to mess around with you here - This is a tough endurance event, that will push you mentally, as well as physically. Only enter if you have done sufficient training, and understand what it takes to take on something like this.
The 100km event is at the extreme end of 100km courses with around 5k of Vert.

LEG#1 - Starting Point to Kaitoke 25km

Starting at the Tauherenikau racecourse runners do a short loop through a forested area, prior to exiting onto the Tauherenikau river. From here you have a 5km river run before heading onto Underhill road. Take a RIGHT at Bucks road and head towards the camping area. This is where you begin the climb up Frith Track. This track is an 800m climb over about 9km. The trail is fairly rugged in parts (including some technical downhill) so please take care along this stretch of trail. Keep your eyes on the orange DOC markers. The trail will finish at the Pylon track, where you turn RIGHT and head uphill. Keep following the trail around through a nice canopy area. These trails are 4WD tracks and quite runnable. The trail then opens up to Kaitoke, and you will hit a gate to go through before heading downhill until you get to the road. This is the first section out of the way. You'll be happy as Frith track is the most dense/hardest to run. Good thing it's only 9km!

LEG#2 - Kaitoke to Tunnel Gully 25km to 43km

There is a very short road section here, before you head through a gate and onto some private land. Please respect this area, as we are very fortunate to have access for the event! It is only about a 1km stretch over farmlands before hitting Rivendell camping area. Here you will be taking the Norbett Creek Loop track (RIGHT). This is a fairly steep (400m ascent) trail that takes you up North of Rivendell, before coming back down again. This is a steep, technical trail. PLEASE TAKE EXTRA CARE HERE! Once you exit this track you will be taking the swingbridge trail on a short loop, before heading back down the road towards the start of the Kaitoke Ridge track. This trail is about 8km long and includes a fairly sharp 400m climb at the start. It's a beautiful trail that runs along the ridge line. There is a also a lookout, so make sure you stop for a look if you have the time. Once you get to the lookout it is a descent towards Te Marua at the Northern end of Upper Hutt. There is a short grassy area before you head over a small bridge and exit at the car park area.
There is a road section here for 500m or so as you head up towards a deforested area. There are 4WD trails here that take you towards the underpass of SH2.

LEG#3 - Tunnel Gully

Once you head under SH2, you hit Station Drive. 46km/60km runners turn right at the T intersection with Goat Rock Track and head towards the Upper Picnic area for the 46km finish. 60km runners must take the tunnel (5km) route before the Mt Climie climb before finishing.
84/100km runners head straight once they hit the T intersection to take Goat Rock towards the Remutaka Incline trail.

LEG#4 - Goat Rock trail - Cross Creek. 61km to 80km (84k/100km)

This will be around the 43km mark to the 61km mark for 80km runners, 61 - 84 for 100k. Or thereabouts. Runners take on Goat Rock trail which takes runners along forestry trails to meet up with the Rail Trail/Incline track. Once hitting the Rail Trail, you follow this all of the way to Cross Creek. This trail has a few old Railway Tunnels to run through, one of which is around 800m long so you will need your headlights. There is a nice gradual ascent for around 5km as you head towards some nice bush trails for another 2km until you exit at Cross Creek car park.

LEG#5 - Cross Creek back to Tunnel Gully

Runners will turnaround once they get to Cross Creek car park. They follow the same trail back towards Tunnel Gully, taking a right after the Summit to follow back road, which takes a slightly different route before popping back out on the Incline trail. You'll then follow the same Goat Rock track before heading along Station Drive towards the Upper Picnic area. 84km runners will finish here. 100km runners follow the old train track and around the 5km course which takes you up the fire break to meet Mt Climie. Here you take Climie all of the way to the top before heading back down to the finish.