The 50km, 102km and 100-mile races at Tarawera Ultra-Trail by UTMB have again attracted some of the world’s top trail runners to Aotearoa New Zealand for the 2026 event taking place on 14-15 February.
Beginning on Saturday in Rotorua, located in the heart of the North Island of New Zealand, the TMiler (100-miles/163km) will begin at 4:00am NZDT, followed by the T102 (102km) and T50 (50km) at 7:00am, while the T21 (21km) gets underway at 10:00am. New in 2026, the T14 (14km) will start on Sunday at 7:30am.
It’s the second event in the 2026 UTMB World Series, following the Arc of Attrition by UTMB in Cornwall in the UK.
The top three female and male finishers in the TMiler, T102, and T50 will qualify directly for the 2027 UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix, France.
And the T102 race also returns a HOKA Golden Ticket qualifier for the 2026 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run in California, USA – giving the top two female and male finishers a direct path to the start line.
Here’s how the fields for all three are stacking up…
TMiler – Rivalries reignite
In the men’s TMiler, Sam Harvey (NZL) will line up as the favourite once again after becoming the first Kiwi to win Tarawera’s 100-mile race with victory last year. After injuries plagued much of the rest of his 2025 season, Harvey is ready to hit the ground running this year in defence of his TMiler title.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been better trained or prepared for Tarawera. I’m ready to light the ground on fire,” said Harvey. “I think I was knocking on the door of a course record last year, until I tore my adductors off the bone and ended up walking a heap. But this year, so long as me or my boy Blake [Schimanski] are on the top of the podium, I’ll be happy.
“It meant everything to be the first Kiwi to win the Miler at Tarawera. I watched on with amazement at the winners of the Miler in 2020 when I first came up and ran the 50km. I had just run my first Miler only a couple of weeks before in about 27 hours 30. Before that, I had no idea that a human could run 100 miles on the trail in 16 hours. Now, only a few years later, I’m back and running that same race and taking the top spot in 15 hours and change. That feeling is hard to describe. Full circle. A delusion of grandeur made real. Magic,” he said.
Harvey was made to work hard for the title last year, with runner-up Simon Cochrane (NZL) closing fast in the final stages. Cochrane returns to the TMiler start line again in 2026, hoping to go one better this time around.
“I have definitely stepped things up since this time last year, so I just need to focus on me, and get the most out of myself. I’m sure this year will be another great battle up front, and there is usually a solid group pushing the pace early on. Another strong year of uninterrupted training and racing under my belt has me feeling more prepared than ever,” said Cochrane. “It would be epic to win at Tarawera. It’s the most iconic 100-mile race in New Zealand, and it has been such a special place in my ultra running career.”
Damian Watson, Blake Schimanski, and Scott Bougen will add more Kiwi firepower to the men’s TMiler race, while Japanese duo Takumi Sawayanagi and Yutaro Yokouchi finished seventh and eighth respectively in last year’s race and will be pushing for a podium finish this weekend.
In the women’s TMiler, Australia’s Hannah McRae will line up in Rotorua as the UTMB Index top ranked runner. McRae has successfully raced the TMiler twice before, finishing second in 2018 – the year the race was first introduced to Tarawera – and fourth in 2023.
“Tarawera is just a really special event to me that I love coming back to. I’ve made so many great memories here – the inaugural 2018 Tarawera Miler was also my first ever 100 Miler – I’ve got amazing friends who I’ve met racing here and I also got engaged here in 2024 after pacing my husband in his first 100 Miler,” said McRae.
“I had some confidence wobbles racing last year with my first proper DNF and so it seemed like a really obvious choice to come back to ‘The Big Friendly’ for a big lap. Tarawera is an event with such great positive energy and I’m so happy to get back to soak all that up and make some new memories.”
McRae will face competition from fellow Aussie Sarah Parkins, who finished third in the TMiler last year, and China’s Fangyuan Wen, who returns to Tarawera having raced the T102 in 2023.
T102 – Defending champs back
Kiwis Ruth Croft and Daniel Jones will once again be the runners to beat on Saturday when they line up for their respective T102 title defences after they both collected their third T102 wins last year in Rotorua and will line up this weekend again as hot favourites.
Croft will make her season debut following a period of recovery and reset after her milestone victory at UTMB, where she became the first woman to win all three UTMB World Series Finals races.
“Winning UTMB was obviously an incredible high, but it also came with far more noise than I’d experienced before,” said Croft. “The weeks that followed were a bit of a blur – media, travel, and trying to make sense of what had actually happened. I’m hugely grateful for all of it, and the support I received especially from New Zealand, but it definitely took some time to settle back into a rhythm.”
That rhythm returned once home – back to the West Coast, where she grew up, and to Hāwea, where she spends much of her time training.
“Time at home is where I really reset – mentally just as much as physically. Getting back into familiar routines, spending time with family and friends, and being in the mountains and places that shaped me remind me why I do this in the first place. It strips everything back and keeps me grounded, especially after such a big year,” she said.
That grounding makes Tarawera the ideal place for her to open a new season – both as a way to reconnect with the local trail community and as an early-season marker.
“Tarawera always feels like a really special way to start the season,” she said. “It gives me an honest benchmark of where I’m at, and I love that it sets the tone for the year.”
Croft also sees Tarawera as a marker of how far New Zealand’s trail‑running scene has come. While Kiwi athletes have long been competitive internationally, she believes the sport’s profile is now catching up to its talent.
“I honestly think New Zealand has always been on the map. What’s changed is that more athletes now have opportunities to race internationally and show what’s possible coming from here. The depth of the fields at Tarawera really reflects how strong the scene is right now – it feels like a very healthy moment for the sport in New Zealand,” said Croft.
One of those athletes lifting the standard is Caitlin Fielder (NZL). In her first 100km race at Tarawera last year, Fielder surprised a lot of people by matching the champion stride for stride through much of the course. The challenge of racing Fielder again this year is something Croft is looking forward to.
“I’m really looking forward to it. Caitlin pushed me hard last year, which is exactly what you want in a race. I expect she’ll be even stronger this time around, and with so many strong women on the start line — and with 100km being a long way — anything can happen.”
Fielder’s own build‑up has been deliberately measured. After some big mileage last year, which saw the Kiwi finish eighth in her first 100-mile race at Western States, she stepped away to reset mentally and physically before rebuilding towards Tarawera.
“I’m feeling really good, I’ve had a good block of training,” said Fielder. “I had some time off after my last race in October which I think is necessary for a mental and physical reset.”
Her breakout 100km run in 2025 gave her not just a result, but a belief that she belongs among the best in the world — especially after discovering she could go head‑to‑head with Croft for much of the race.
“I was pretty surprised to find myself racing alongside Ruth for a lot of the race last year, but I also knew I had been doing some good training. It’s hard to know exactly where you’re at before any race, so racing with Ruth gave me a lot of confidence that I can do more than I think I can,” she said.
While many will be looking forward to another showdown between Croft and Fielder, the women’s T102 race will be highly competitive, featuring two-time T102 podium finisher Beth McKenzie (USA), Kaga Spa by UTMB winner Honoka Hakiyama (JPN), 2024 UTMB fourth place finisher Lin Chen (CHN), three-time Western States top 10 finisher Katie Asmuth (USA), and two-time UTMB top 10 finisher, Lucy Bartholomew (AUS), to name a few.
Daniel Jones has won the last three T102 races on the bounce, finishing between 15-30 minutes ahead of his closest competitor. He returns to Tarawera this weekend seeking a fourth title on a course that has repeatedly showcased his technical skill and speed. Jones says he builds his season around opening the year at Tarawera and believes the race continues to elevate his performance.
“Tarawera is a great season opener for me. We’re pretty lucky to have a summer here in New Zealand, training on mainly dry trails and building fitness for the year ahead. It’s always a privilege to test that fitness out at Tarawera, a race I’ve become very proud to be a part of,” said Jones.
Each year it seems the T102 attracts deeper and more competitive fields, and Jones welcomes the rising level of international talent — seeing it as a reflection of just how prestigious the T102 has become.
“It makes me incredibly proud to see the growth of this event. I remember way back in the day having trail running discussions with the founder of Tarawera Ultra, Paul Charteris. It’s very cool that his passion has continued and helped form such a special race for this community,” said Jones. “The Tarawera 102km continues to grow in competitiveness. I like to test out new training stimuli and race day approaches. What better way to try these out against the best athletes in the world.”
While Jones’s past dominance would once have made him the overwhelming favourite, the 2026 field brings a new level of international firepower – led by Sweden’s Petter Engdahl, who will race the T102 for the first time.
Engdahl is no stranger to winning on the world stage. The 2022 CCC champion and 2023 OCC fourth‑place finisher is one of Europe’s most dynamic athletes. Despite a winter spent training in Norway – with plenty of snow and treadmill sessions – he feels ready.
“Training has been going good, I’ve been trying to prepare as well as possible home in Norway running in the snow or on treadmill, but I am in good shape so looking forward to kick of the 2026 season,” said Engdahl.
With Jones aiming for a historic fourth title and Engdahl set to challenge him with big race pedigree of his own, the men’s T102 shapes as one of the most compelling matchups in Tarawera history. Adding to the intriguing dynamic in the men’s race is the Chinese trio of Ji Duo, Jiasheng Shen, Canhua Luo, America’s Cole Watson, Japan’s Rui Ueda, and Rotorua runner Michael Voss (NZL).
T50 – Hawgood drops down in distance
Runners from Zimbabwe, the United States, and France top the list of names on the women’s T50 start list, with New Zealand’s Hannah Wall the Kiwi most likely to challenge for the title.
Emily Hawgood (ZIM), a top 10 finisher in the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run for the past five years, is the top ranked UTMB Index runner in the T50. Usually featuring at the pointy end of 100km and 100-mile races, it will be intriguing to see how Hawgood fares at the shorter, faster 50km distance.
“My training has been great. I have enjoyed a fun and speedy work piece with my coach since the beginning of the year specifically before Tarawera,” said Hawgood. “A successful race will be one I go out, run strong, stay focused and in the present moment and give it everything I’ve got.
“This is my first time racing Tarawera but my second time to New Zealand. I came here with my family for Christmas one year and have been desperate to get back. I debated between coming to New Zealand or going to America for college when I graduated high school. I love people and it is such a beautiful country I’m excited to be back and explore more,” she said.
Robyn Lesh (USA) returns to the country she once called home for her second attempt at the T50 title, having finished third in 2024.
“New Zealand is super special to me for trail running. Living here is when I discovered the sport, and where I got hooked on trails and mountains. It feels like my trail running home or birthplace,” said Lesh. “I’m excited to run the 50km course again. I really like coming back to a race the second time, everything feels a bit familiar and it’s fun to be in the flow. I’m also excited to race the rest of the field and the ladies who will be lining up.”
Lesh and Hawgood will face competition from French duo Louise Serban Penhoat and Aurore Dacier, along with British runner Holly Page and a strong Australian contingent including Ella McCartney and Sarah Levett.
In the men’s T50, Liam Meirow (USA) will start as the top ranked UTMB Index runner thanks to 2025 podium performances at the Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB and Gorge Waterfalls 50km races.
“Training has gone swimmingly over the last two months. I shifted gears to some shorter distances during the fall, so I am still very much mentally and physically gearing back to the 50km distance, but the body has responded well to longer workouts,” said Meirow. “I signed up for this race last spring with the intention of escaping the Portland gloom and celebrating life in a country that’s been on my bucket list since I was a kid.”
While Meirow will race Tarawera for the first time, Charlie Hamilton (AUS), likely his closest challenger, returns to a race where he has twice finished on the podium – though the T50 title still eludes him.
“I’m certainly looking to fill out my podium bingo card here at the 50km. I’ve worked really hard to continue to develop as an athlete and I hope Saturday reflects this,” said Hamilton. “I would be lying if I didn’t say I was here to win, but at the end of the day I’m really just hoping for a nice hard race, and I think with the field we’ve got I’ll certainly have my hands full.”
One runner who knows what it takes to win this race is Jonathan Jackson (NZL), winner of the 2021 T50. He headlines a strong Kiwi contingent featuring Sam Rout, eighth at last year’s T50, and Samuel Macauley.
