Te Arawa Marae to Marae Relay Returns to the 61st Red Stag Rotorua Marathon
18 March 2025
For the first time since the mid-90s, the Te Arawa Marae to Marae Relay will return to Rotorua on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The much-loved event first held in the 1990s will be held in conjunction with the 61st Red Stag Rotorua Marathon, bringing a unique opportunity for Te Arawa whānau to come together and participate in a celebration of Rotorua and running.
The Te Arawa Marae to Marae Relay will host registered Te Arawa Marae teams and their descendants and will commence from its original start point, the world-famous Te Papa-I-Ōuru Marae, in Ōhinemutu Village with all teams finishing alongside the marathon participants at the new Red Stag Rotorua Marathon event finish line.
The Te Arawa Marae to Marae relay, in its evolved form, will include ten culturally significant stages, which includes visiting a minimum of thirteen marae, and two rivers situated around Lake Rotorua along the Marathon course. Distances of the Marae to Marae relay stages range from approximately 2km to 6km in distance.
Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa CEO, Stevie Te Moni says “The Te Arawa Marae to Marae relay is a very unique and Te Arawa-Centric event that celebrates Te Arawa Iwi health and wellbeing, and highlights and reinforces Te Arawatanga with its people.”
Athletics NZ Head of Out of Stadia Events & Red Stag Rotorua Marathon Event Director, Jason Cameron says “After celebrating 61 years of this amazing event last year, Athletics NZ is inspired and excited to be partnering with Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa to bring back this much-loved event for Te Arawa people. The opportunity to do this within the Red Stag Marathon continues our vision and commitment to continue to evolve and grow this special event for Rotorua and New Zealand.”
The relay will be part of the Red Stag Rotorua Marathon weekend, which has been a highlight of the New Zealand running calendar since 1965. Known as the "People’s Marathon," the event brings runners of all levels to Rotorua to tackle the iconic lap of the lake.
The 2025 edition will feature a full menu of distances, including the iconic Red Stag Marathon (42.2km), NZCT half marathon (21.1km), Go Media 12km, 5km events, ensuring all runners and walkers have an event they can thrive in! The return of the Marae to Marae Relay adds another layer of community spirit and cultural celebration to an already vibrant weekend.
In collaboration with Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa, Athletics NZ will also be providing practical training opportunities to support Te Arawa whānau prepare for the event, along with developing training programmes to suit all abilities.
Team Registrations for the Te Arawa Marae to Marae relay event open on 12 March through Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa.
For more information on entering contact:
Makuini Hapi
Te Arawa Marae to Marae Coordinator
Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa
e. makuini@papatakaro.org.nz
Jason Cameron
Head of Out of Stadia Events
Athletics NZ
e. jason@athletics.org.nz
m. 027 541 3211