The Magnificent NZ 2025
Jan 26-Feb 2
2025 event is full - kinda. We have opened up a few spots in the event so reach out to us if you are interested. And you should be interested. With a entry fee of only 5000NZD/3000USD this is the best value expedition race on the planet.
GodZone carried a entry fee of nearly double, and required a support crew funded by each race team! And we know that NZ is on every international adventurer's bucket list, so join in the fun and come race.
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NZ/AUS teams email: ultramentalbook@gmail.com
USA and international email: bendracingor@gmail.com​​​
Vision
With over 4 decades of racing experience between them (both as athletes and race directors), twin brothers Andy and Jason Magness are beyond excited to work together again. Based on their past expedition forays and mis-adventures across the spectrum of pack-rafting, mountaineering, climbing bike-packing, and remote exploration they consider course creation as an artform.
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They are backed by a passionate team of experienced racers, volunteers, media professionals, medical staff, course testers and logistical personnel.
Location
The Magnificent will take place on the South Island of New Zealand each year, with the location and course changing for each new edition. The 2025 race will take place in both the Southland and Otago regions.
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Host city: Lumsden
Nearest Airport: Queenstown
Course
Distance
500 km
That is
further across than
the entire country.
Yep - it is a big course to explore.
But there is no set route,
so brilliant navigation could shorten it,
bad navigation could add more.
So lets just say you'll do somewhere between 450 -550 km.
Disciplines
Mountain Bike - paved path, dirt roads, singletrack.
Riding will include technical descents
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Trekking - trail, roads, and lots of off-trail mountain terrain.
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Pack rafting - flat water, moving water,
and mild technical whitewater
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Navigation - Map and compass navigation
with some urban orienteering and
big mountain route choices.
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Climbing - Top rope rock climbing
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Hybrid disciplines - bike-rafting,
packraft-trek, raft-biking,
and hike-a-bike
Difficulty
The event is designed to challenge the best competitors in the sport of adventure racing, while being possible for teams with at least some of the following dialed in: racing experience, speed, teamwork, high motivation, navigational prowess, mountain skills, and desire.
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In truth - the perceived difficulty will depend on the skill level of each team. It is a highly challenging event - will this lead to Anxiety, Arousal, or Flow?
Unsupported
Format
The race is unsupported - meaning that competitors can receive no outside assistance from friends, family, or fans.
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Race staff will move team's resupply equipment to various transition areas along the course where they can access it, but other than this, the team must choose what to carry, when to sleep, and how to best move through the race. Even medical care like blisters (outside of emergency) must be dealt with by the team.
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This format adds a bit of complexity for the race organization, but make the event more fair and competitive for international teams.
Sanctioning
The MAGNIficent is proud to be part of the Adventure Racing World Series as one of the world qualifying events of 2025.​
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In addition to prize money, the winning team will receive a free entry to the 2025 Adventure Racing World Championships in Penticton, Canada.
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Inclusion also will allow teams to receive a global ranking, prize purse, standardized rules and impartial and trained referee(s).