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The Wild West Backyard Ultra
Come and experience New Zealand’s most scenic Backyard Ultra, running between the ocean and the mountains, on the wild West Coast
Saturday, April 4th, 2026 (Easter Weekend)
Start time: 9:00 AM
Location: Hokitika Beachfront
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A unique Backyard Ultra between the Tasman sea and the Southern Alps.
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1 loop 6.7km on the hour, every hour. Run till you drop.
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Last runner standing.
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Friendly, grassroots, and stunningly scenic.
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Capped at 150 runners.
This event is affiliated and performances can count toward national teams / world championships.
Entries open Monday December 1st 2025
Entries close Sunday 22nd March 2026
- Pricing from 1 December – $150
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Pricing from 1 March – $200
We’re excited to announce $1,000 cash prizes for both the Female and Male course records (only the last Female and Male standing) at the Wild West Backyard Ultra.
If you break the course record, you’ll take home $1,000 cash. This means, yes, the course records have to go in 2026!
This prize is about celebrating exceptional endurance, grit, and pushing limits on our iconic Hokitika Beachfront course. Whether you’re racing for the win, chasing a personal best, or testing how far you can go, the course records are officially on the line.
Think you’ve got what it takes?
This event is an affiliated backyard ultra and performances can count toward the NZ Team selection for Big’s Backyard Ultra
The course consists of a small out and back followed by a longer loop. The course starts at the Hokitika beachfront, towards the tip. The course is flat and fast, with a total of 10 – 12 meters of elevation per loop!