Wanaka Athletes Aim For Historic Wins At Kathmandu Coast To Coast

Wanaka, New Zealand – February 4, 2025 – Wanaka's own Simone Maier and Hamish Elliott are leading contenders in the upcoming Kathmandu Coast to Coast Longest Day event, this Saturday.

Both athletes are ranked number one in their respective categories and are favorited to clinch the men’s and women’s titles.

Simone Maier is on the brink of making history as she chases her sixth victory in the women's category, which would make her the first woman to secure six titles, surpassing the legendary Kathy Lynch.

Reflecting on her journey, Maier stated, "I just love the whole circus. It's such a cool community." She added, "I really have a passion for the sport. I love being fit and I love pushing boundaries."

Maier has announced this year will be her final Kathmandu Coast to Coast regardless of the outcome.”

“When you are racing at that level you’re always pushing yourself to be in the best possible shape and the body is starting to make a bit of noise that it wants a bit of time off now,” Maier said.

“It’s such a commitment if you want to win or do well,” she said. “I just want to do some other missions and not have that pressure.”

Hamish Elliott, the defending men's champion, claimed his first title in 2024 with a remarkable time of 10 hours, 48 minutes, and 53 seconds.

Approaching this year's race with confidence, Elliott remarked, "My approach and mentality stays the same. Just putting my best performance forward is all I’m worried about."

He acknowledges the competition, especially with the return of four-time champion Sam Clark, stating, "Yeah I’ve been thinking a bit on how I can beat Sam and where I’ll get time on him. I’ll aim to push the run pretty hard."

Elliott emphasizes the importance of consistency: "To turn up and be capable of winning it, it’s going to take a pretty good day with no mistakes and an honest performance."

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