Whanganui 3 Bridges Marathon / NZ Marathon Championships: Dates, Tickets & Venue (Whanganui)

A national title decided on a river

Whanganui runs this marathon along its river. The Whanganui 3 Bridges Marathon takes place on December 6, 2026, and this year it doubles as the New Zealand Marathon Championships. That means the national title is decided on the same course as everyone else’s personal best.

The name tells you the shape of the day. The route follows the Whanganui River and crosses it by bridge, so runners trade one bank for the other. A river course keeps the gradients gentle, and that is a large part of why the race suits a championship.

Kowhai Park, the race base

Kowhai Park is where the day gathers. It sits on Anzac Parade on the eastern bank, close to the Dublin Street Bridge and across the water from the city centre. Locals know it best for its big children’s playground and open lawns.

On race morning that grass becomes the staging area. It is where runners collect themselves before the start and where families wait at the end. Because it faces the town across the river, you can see the CBD’s low skyline from the park.

Entries, dates and where the details live

There are no spectator tickets for this race. The ticket is a race entry, and the organiser publishes the date, venue, distances and entry links on its official site. Championship eligibility for the national title is also set out there, along with the rules on age-group placings.

Start times are not in the facts behind this guide, so we leave them out. The race date is fixed as Sunday, December 6, 2026. December is early summer in New Zealand, and races here usually start in the morning before the day warms up.

Getting to Whanganui

Whanganui sits on the North Island’s west coast, where State Highways 3 and 4 meet. Most people come by road:

• From Wellington: north up the coast through Palmerston North on SH1 and SH3, roughly two and a half to three hours.
• From New Plymouth: south-east on SH3 around the South Taranaki Bight.
• By air: Whanganui Airport, a short drive south-east of the centre, has domestic flights.

Out-of-town runners usually stay in the CBD around Victoria Avenue. From there it is a walk over the Dublin Street Bridge to Kowhai Park.

Watching from the riverbank

Spectating costs nothing and needs no pass. Supporters usually spread themselves along the river paths and bridge approaches. Because the course crosses the water, you can cheer someone on one bank and then walk across to catch them on the other.

A few habits make the day easier:

• Pick two spots, not five. The river is wide, and the walk between banks takes longer than it looks on a map.
• Respect the road closures. Course marshals hold crossings while runners pass. Kiwi race crowds wait their turn without fuss.
• Cheer by name. Supporters often shout names off race bibs, and in a field this size runners notice.
• Meet at the park. Kowhai Park’s lawns are the obvious place to regroup with your runner afterwards.

The river itself is Te Awa Tupua. In 2017 it became the first river in the world recognised in law as a living entity. Leaving the banks as you found them is the respectful thing to do.

Staying an extra day

The town rewards a day after the race. Easy options for tired legs:

• Durie Hill Elevator: a lift driven through the hillside, rising to a memorial tower with views over the river mouth and the town.
• Pākaitore (Moutoa Gardens): a riverside reserve with deep significance for Whanganui iwi, a short walk from the CBD.
• Victoria Avenue: the main street, lined with Edwardian and Victorian frontages, cafés and second-hand shops.
• Whanganui River Road: a slow, winding drive upriver past small settlements, for anyone with a car and a free afternoon.

Runners who come for the championship often make a long weekend of it. The race is the reason to come, and the river is why many visitors stay on.