Canterbury Adventure Race

Bivouac Outdoor Canterbury Adventure Race

The event on 5 September 2026 features three team endurance formats: 3 hour, 6 hour and 9 hour. Each format combines off road running or jogging with mountain biking on forestry roads, 4wd trails and singletrack. Distances given below may be adjusted for steep terrain and competitive teams aiming to visit all controls may cover more ground. Teams finishing after course closure incur a penalty of 10 points per minute.

• 3 hour: approx. 6 km off road run or walk and 12 km mountain bike
• 6 hour: approx. 10 km off road run or jog and 30 km mountain bike
• 9 hour: approx. 20 km off road run or jog and 50 km mountain bike

Teams consist of 2, 3, or 4 people. Categories include Student, Adult and Family; adult teams are separated by male, female and mixed. The event also serves as the Canterbury Schools Championship with specific championship criteria: four team members, all from the same school (or two schools for single gender schools), and correct year group for each race class. It is permissible for a student to move up a class but not down.

The course is kept secret until 24 hours before the race and race packs with maps and notes are available Friday 4 September at the Bivouac Outdoor store, Tower Junction, Christchurch, with uncollected packs issued at the start. Timing and scoring may be manual or electronic; teams may use a NavLight timing tag. The race is unsupported; student teams may receive adult assistance with transitions. Compulsory personal and team safety gear is required and spot gear checks with penalties will be conducted. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

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