FAQs | Red Stag Rotorua Marathon 2027

About Rotorua Marathon

The 2027 Red Stag Rotorua Marathon is on Saturday 1 May 2027 in Rotorua, New Zealand. The Kids Mini Marathon is held the day before, on Friday 30 April 2027.
There are five events at the Red Stag Rotorua Marathon: the Red Stag Marathon (42.195km), the NZCT Half Marathon (21.1km), the Te Puia 10km, the Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa 5km, and the Kids Mini Marathon. Walkers are welcome in every event.
Every event finishes at the event village on the Rotorua lakefront, outside the Novotel Rotorua Lakeside. The marathon and 5km start from the lakefront, the NZCT Half Marathon starts at Hamurana Springs (773 Hamurana Road), and the Te Puia 10km starts at Te Puia (20 Hemo Road, Whakarewarewa).
The Red Stag Rotorua Marathon is organised by Athletics New Zealand, with Red Stag Timber as naming partner. The marathon course is certified by World Athletics and AIMS.
The Rotorua Marathon was first run in 1965 and is New Zealand's oldest major marathon. It has been held almost every year since. The only cancellation was 1999, when flooding washed out parts of the course, and the 2020 event was postponed due to Covid-19. 2027 is the 63rd edition.
In 2027 the Red Stag Marathon runs anti-clockwise around Lake Rotorua for the first time since 1976, returning to the direction of the very first race in 1965. The change puts runners closer to the water, with longer views of the lake and Mokoia Island, and keeps more of the field on quieter roads.
Around 6000 runners and walkers take part across all distances each year, making it one of New Zealand's largest running events.

Entries & Pricing

Current 2027 entry fees are $174 for the Red Stag Marathon, $129 for the NZCT Half Marathon, $84 for the Te Puia 10km, $44 for the Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa 5km and $9 for the ASB Kids Mini Marathon. Prices increase closer to race day, so entering early secures the best price.
Entries for the 2027 Red Stag Rotorua Marathon close at 8PM Friday 30 April 2027, or earlier if an event sells out.
We offer 20% off for Survivors Club members, 20% off for Athletics New Zealand members and 15% off for students with a valid student ID.
Email marathon@athletics.org.nz to receive your promo code. Students need to bring their ID to bib collection.
Yes. We offer group discounts for large groups from one organisation or business, and businesses can pay for entries by invoice. Email marathon@athletics.org.nz for details.
Entrants must be at least 18 for the Red Stag Marathon, 16 for the NZCT Half Marathon, 14 for the Te Puia 10km and 10 for the Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa 5km. The Kids Mini Marathon is for tamariki aged 5 to 14. Ages are taken on race day.
Yes. You can move to another distance until 9pm (NZ time) on Friday 30 April 2027 for a transfer fee (including GST). Log in to your Race Roster account, select Transfer, then Transfer to a new sub-event. If the new distance costs more, you pay the difference.
Yes, within the same event (for example, half marathon to half marathon) for a $25 fee (including GST). Log in to Race Roster, select Transfer, then Transfer to a new participant. The new participant receives an email to complete their registration.
You can add Protecht refund protection when you enter. It gives you a full refund if you can't attend for a covered reason such as illness, injury or travel disruption. Without it, refunds follow our Terms and Conditions
Yes. You need to be a competitive member of a club affiliated to Athletics New Zealand. Email marathon@athletics.org.nz with any questions.

The Red Stag Rotorua Marathon Courses

The Red Stag Marathon is a single lap of Lake Rotorua with a gently rolling profile and about 270m metres of total elevation gain.
Yes. The Red Stag Marathon course is measured and certified by World Athletics.
Because the Red Stag Marathon is run on a World Athletics and AIMS certified course, your official time is recorded on a certified course. Races that require qualifying times from certified courses, such as the Boston Marathon, generally accept these results, but check the rules of the race you are applying for.
The NZCT Half Marathon is an all-new point-to-point course for 2027. It starts at Hamurana Springs on the northern side of Lake Rotorua and runs anti-clockwise into the city, finishing on the lakefront. Expect quieter roads and plenty of lake views.
Bus transport is included in every NZCT Half Marathon entry. Buses leave from outside the Rotorua i-SITE on Fenton Street between 6.15am and 7.00am (last departure), and the trip takes about 20 minutes. There are no personal drop-offs at the start, so all half marathon participants must use the event buses.
The Te Puia 10km mixes trail, culture and road. It starts inside Te Puia, passes Pōhutu Geyser on geothermal pathways, runs through Whakarewarewa Forest and finishes on the Rotorua lakefront.
Drop-off is available at the main Te Puia entrance, and parking is in the southern Te Puia carpark via the Hemo Roundabout. An optional bus runs from the Rotorua i-SITE on Fenton Street to Te Puia for $9, which you can buy with your entry or at registration.
Drink stations are marked on the course maps for the Red Stag Marathon, NZCT Half Marathon and Te Puia 10km. The maps show which stations have water only and which also have electrolyte drink from our hydration partner, Pure Sports Nutrition. Every event has a hydration station at the finish.
Personal drinks are available in the Red Stag Marathon only. Hand in your bottles at registration before 8pm on Friday 30 April 2027, clearly labelled with your name, race number and station. They will be on the first table at personal bottle aid stations. Bottles are not returned, so please use recyclable ones.
Yes. Portaloos are at every aid station on the courses.
Official timing for all events closes at 5pm on race day. Anyone finishing after 5pm is recorded as a did not finish and does not receive a finisher's medal.
There are also additional cut-off points on the Marathon and Half-Marathon courses.

Families, Accessibility, & Walking

Yes. Walkers are welcome in every event and receive an official finishing time. There is no separate walker entry option, so enter the distance you want to walk. There are no merit awards for walkers
Yes. The Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa 5km is a flat lakefront loop that suits first-timers, families and walkers aged 10 and over. The 10km and half marathon are good next steps, and walkers are welcome in every distance.
No. Walking poles are not permitted in any event, for the safety of all participants. For accessibility enquiries, email marathon@athletics.org.nz.
Prams and strollers are not allowed on any course, but spectators are welcome to bring them to the event village and along the course.
Please email marathon@athletics.org.nz and we will talk through what is possible for your event.
No. Pets are not allowed at the start, the finish or on the courses. Service dogs are the only exception.

Race Weekend

On Saturday 1 May 2027 the NZCT Half Marathon starts at 7.30am and the Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa 5km at 8.20am. Start times for the Red Stag Marathon and Te Puia 10km are TBC. See the Timetable page for the full race weekend schedule.
Race pack collection is at the Novotel Rotorua Lakeside on Friday 30 April 2027 from 10 AM. You choose a collection time when you enter, but you can come at any listed time. Someone else can collect your pack if they bring a copy of your confirmation email.
There is limited street parking around the Lakeside reserve on event day, and timed and paid parking may apply. Road closures will be in place around the course, so allow extra time to get to your start.
Yes. Bag drop for the NZCT half-marathon and the Te Puia 10km are available at their relevant start lines.

Bag drop for the Red Stag Marathon and the Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa 5km are available at the Matariki Room by the finish.
No. Please arrive dressed in the gear you will run or walk in.
No. Traffic management and course marshalling are planned around the official start times, so every participant must start at their scheduled time.
No. Roads around the course are closed or restricted during the event. Some areas may be accesable by supporters.
Rotorua is about three hours' drive from Auckland, and Rotorua Airport has direct domestic flights. Accommodation fills up quickly on race weekend, so book early.
For the best spot on race day, book at the Novotel Rotorua Lakeside.

Results, Medals, & More

Your bib number is allocated when you enter and appears in your confirmation email.
Yes. Every finisher in the Kids Mini Marathon, 5km, 10km, NZCT Half Marathon and Red Stag Marathon receives a medal.
Results are published online within 24 hours of the event on Sportsplits, linked from this website. Results from every year back to 1965 are on our History page.
Event photos are available after race day.
Yes. Official Red Stag Rotorua Marathon merchandise is available from our Merch page. We will also announce it on social media and by email.
The Survivors Club recognises everyone who has finished 15 or more full Rotorua Marathons. The club had 648 members after the 2025 event, and new members receive an embroidered Survivors polo shirt. Only full marathon finishes count.
Yes. When you enter any distance you can choose to donate to or fundraise for the Cancer Society, our official charity partner.
Volunteers help make race day happen, from drink stations to the finish line. Register your interest on our Become a Volunteer page.
The relay returns in 2027 for its third year since it was reintroduced in 2025, allowing runners of all abilities to take a stage and finish together.