With perfect weather and entries from 26 countries, the 2025 Gazley Volkswagen Wellington Marathon was a record breaker before the gun even fired. But two record breaking winners had the last word.

Wellington’s own Toby Gualter had the first word. A year ago in Wellington he set a new course with his first major half marathon win in terrible conditions. This year he took advantage of perfect weather to carve almost a minute off that time and claim the national half marathon title as well.

Gualter came into the race as the heavy favourite after a win in the Christchurch half marathon earlier this year. And he didn’t disappoint, racing straight to the front and eventually winning by almost one kilometre in 1hr 04min 32secs. Behind him Lower Hutt’s Eric Speakman held off Okitu’s Mike Robinson by seven seconds in 1hr 08min 13secs.

The women’s half marathon was a closer affair, with Auckland’s Lisa Cross and Christchurch’s Katherine Camp sharing top billing. Both has won national titles, although at opposite ends of the spectrum, with Cross favoured mostly in cross country while Camp has national titles on the track over 800m. They didn’t disappoint, both going out hard before Cross’ strength over the longer distance prevailed for the national title by 63secs in a race record 1hr 13min 37secs. Defending champion Beth Garland from Wellington claimed third.

Top cop, Mel Aitken from Otago, was a popular winner of the women’s full marathon. Aitken has been a prolific performer on the national scene for more than a decade, but in the major marathons has usually settled for minor placings. In Wellington she came out on top, the 48-year-old clocking 2hrs 52min 52secs to finish eight minutes clear of a host of younger talent headed by Auckland’s Anabella Maynard as just three minutes separated placings second to fifth.

The women’s half marathon had the least surprising winner, but the performance was arguably the best of the day. Wellington’s Sarah Drought came into the race as defending champion and hot off some of her best ever results after being the leading New Zealander at the world cross country championship and then winning the Christchurch Half Marathon in a personal best time. In Wellington she was favourite to nab the national title, but she did so in fine fashion, clearing out from the gun to win by more than two minutes to break her own race record with a time of 1hr 15min 44secs. Behind her, Wellington’s Esther George and Tauranga’s Deb Fuller claimed silver and bronze.

The men’s race was billed as a close tussle between Cantabrian Andy Good, and locals Nic Sunseri and Hiro Tanimoto. All three have best times within three minutes, with Tanimoto a two-time winner of the Wellington event and like Good, has also won the Christchurch Marathon. But Good was just “too good”, eventually prevailing by more than five minutes in 2hrs 25min 25secs. Behind him, Tanimoto claimed second two minutes ahead of Sunseri, who managed to hold off Wellington’s Josh Naisbitt by 13secs for third place.

Exactly 4300 runners and walkers from 26 countries lined up for the 36th Gazley Volkswagen Wellington Marathon. Full results at https://results.timingsports.com/wellingtonmarathon/2025 .

Home Page | Culture | Previous Story | Next Story

Copyright (c) Scoop Media