Te Ahumairangi Ten Thousand 2025

NZ’S biggest 10,000m running event

15 November 2025, Newtown Park

We’re inviting Wellington runners to attend Te Ahumairangi 10000m Festival on 15 November. Te Ahumairangi Ten Thousand Festival is New Zealand’s biggest, most exciting, and most community-focused 10,000m race. Since 2018, this event has championed Wellington runners working together in teams to chase fast times.

This event celebrates Wellington distance running and is a fantastic opportunity for runners and friends to come together and run 10km in a supportive, high-energy atmosphere.

Te Ahumairangi 10000 Festival is a fun opportunity for runners to work together in packs and support each other in running personal bests. It is also an opportunity for road or trail runners who have not run on the track before to try it out in a supportive environment. It is probably best suited to runners who can complete 10km in an hour or less.

Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors Te Ahumairangi Investments and Lifestyle Sport, we’ll be offering prizes across multiple categories, adding an extra layer of excitement to the competition.

We’re looking forward to seeing Wellington’s running community come together for a memorable evening on the track.

We’re thrilled to have you join us in 2025.

This year’s festival is proudly presented by Te Ahumairangi Investment Management, a Wellington-based team of experienced investment professionals. We’re also grateful for support from Lifestyle Sports Tawa (relay sponsor) and Early (pace team sponsor).

Venue: Newtown Park

Address: 200 Daniell St, Newtown.

Parking is available, or take the No. 1 or No. 23 bus to reduce your carbon footprint. Facilities include changing rooms, toilets, and grandstand seating. Former NZ 10,000m champ Rees Buck will be commentating during races and playing tunes between races.

Race timetable

• 6:00pm – B Race (mixed, 40+ min runners)

• 7:00pm – Team Relay

• 8:00pm – A Race (mixed, sub-40 min runners)

Check your race assignment at the bottom of this email. Want to switch races? Let us know by Wednesday evening. We may move runners between the two races to balance the fields. We will let you know if this is likely to affect you. 

Registration

Arrive 1 hour before your race and check in at the Officials’ Room (near the end of the home straight).

Wellington locals: please bring a friend to help with lap counting (details below).

Note: No race-day entries. Pre-entry only. Race bibs must be worn during the race.

Food and drink

The IndoPLUS food truck will be serving delicious meals.

A bake sale will be from 5pm-7:30pm, and partial proceeds will go to the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation (bless them). There will be an assortment of delicious homemade affordable baking and sherbet, please bring cash. 

Water taps are available—bring a bottle and stay hydrated! After the A Race is complete, we will gather at the Office in Newtown to celebrate everyone’s runs. Please join us. 

Pacers

Pacers will wear a PACE bib on their backs. You should introduce yourself before the race so they know to look out for you.

• 60.00 mins – Floor Kaars Sijpesteijn, B Race

• 50.00 mins – Dave Kettles, B Race

• 45.00 mins – Colin Price, B Race

• 42:30 mins – Mel Brandon, B Race  

• 41.00 mins – Paul Barwick, B Race  

• 40.00 mins – James Richardson, B Race  

• 39:00 mins – Nicholas Bagnall, A Race

• 37:30 mins – Murendeni Netshituka, A Race

• 35.00 mins – Ryan Woolley, A Race

More pacers may be added during the week, and target times for pacers may be adjusted slightly if it will benefit more runners.

Prizes

• Top 5 Men and Women: $100 (1st), $50 (2nd–5th)

• Age Grade Records: $100 (Wellington), $400 (National)

• Spot Prizes: 10 × $50

• Fastest Last Lap: $100

• Top Club: $200 (5+ athletes, closest to seed time)

• Commentator’s Awards: 3 × $100

• Relay Winners: 25 × $10 Lifestyle Sports vouchers

Lap counters

Wellington locals: please bring a friend to help count laps. It’s simple—just record lap times as runners pass. Most people can track 2 to 3 runners.

At registration, you can:

• Register a lap counter for yourself or others

• Volunteer as a lap counter for the other race

• Request a lap counter for your race

Lap counters should report to the start/finish line 20 minutes before race time for a briefing.

Warm-ups

Please warm up outside the stadium to keep the competition area clear.

Starting procedure

Starts follow World Athletics Competition Rules. Each race will have a two-group waterfall start:

• 2/3 of runners start in inside lanes

• 1/3 of runners start in lanes 5–8 for the first bend, then merge

Cones will mark the merge point. The starting referees will ensure a fair start. Everyone still runs the same distance.

The digital clock at the start/finish line is not connected to the photo finish system, so the time displayed on the clock may not match the time in the official results. 

Being lapped

If you’re lapped, please stay in lane 1. We know it can be tricky—just do your best and respect fellow runners.

Finishing

Help us manage photo-finish analysis:

1. Let us know ASAP if you’re not racing

2. Keep your bib visible from the front

3. If you pull out mid-race, notify a finish-line official

4. Finish in lane 4 (cones will guide you) to avoid confusion with lapped runners

Health and safety

Please follow all safety briefings and officials’ instructions.

Newtown Park’s Code of Conduct is available here.

Thanks

Huge thanks to our sponsors Te Ahumairangi Investment Management, Lifestyle Sports Tawa and Early, and to the Athletics Wellington officials and volunteers who make this event possible.