The Spectacle
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The Spectacle NZ : event overview
The Spectacle is a multi day running festival in Whakatū Nelson on 4 to 5 December 2026 that brings together road, trail and relay events. The programme includes short road races, relay formats, an elite international mile and long trail races up to 100 miles. Registration and an expo are held at the Rutherford Hotel and the event includes briefings, prizegivings and a community concert.
The road programme features city centre courses described as flat and fast, including a road mile and a 5 km race run as multiple laps through the heart of the city. Relay formats use short laps around central streets and include corporate, open and school categories.
Trail events take place on single track and forestry roads with significant elevation changes reported for the longer distances. Descriptions note lush native forest, winding single track, extensive vertical gain and mixed surfaces for ultra distances. Cut off times and estimated finishing windows are published for each trail race.
Event distances and formats include: Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
- Mile (Open, Junior, AWD, High School)
- 5 km (A race, B race, Walk)
- Road relays (corporate, open, school)
- 10 km (trail)
- 10 km relay (4 × 2.5 km mixed road and trail)
- 22 km (trail)
- 50 km (trail)
- 100 km (trail)
- 100 mile (trail)
- Elite international mile (invited athletes)
