New Ohope Half Marathon (Bay of Plenty)

The new beach-side Fitness Fusion Ohope Half Marathon was born from convenient geography.

Paul Singh, the co-owner of Fitness Fusion, a local high quality exercise equipment business, likes to test himself with a half marathon each year. Armed with a Garmin one Saturday morning he set off from his house on Ohope Beach, ran around the harbour, down to the Pohutukawa trees at West End and then home. Back at his front porch, he clocked in his run at 21km. Bingo!

The Ohope Half Marathon will be on Sunday April 4. This Athletics NZ-sanctioned road run starts in a park overlooking the Ohiwa Harbour, hits a few rollers straight off near the golf course but then, hugging the coastline, is almost entirely flat.

Ohope Beach, just 6km over the hill from Whakatane is a major draw card for holidaymakers, with its 11 kilometres of golden Pacific sand and safe swimming waters.

The Ohope Half comes four weeks before the Lion Foundation Rotorua Marathon. "Athletes preparing for the full marathon will be in near peak condition and I'd expect many will blast out a marathon personal best at Ohope" says Race Director Paul Charteris. "I've already heard from a couple of athletes looking to break NZ records at this event."

"We're hoping a lot of athletes targeting Rotorua as their big race of the year will want to bring their family and friends to Ohope for a fun weekend as well as get in a wickedly good training run."

Race day will also feature a 10km fun run/walk taking in the quiet streets of Ohope as well as some of the beach. A new kind of event is the 5km Doggie Dash- a run or stroll with your dog. Funds from the Doggie Dash will go to support the Whakatane SPCA.

To see race details or enter online, go to:
www.ohopehalfmarathon.co.nz or www.whakatane.com