As a versatile all-round mountain athlete, Alastair has an impressive background in classical mountaineering, alpinism, rock climbing, trail running, and ski mountaineering. With nearly two decades of experience, Alastair has explored both New Zealand’s stunning landscapes and international destinations, undertaking expeditions in Alaska, Patagonia, Peru, the European Alps, and the Himalayas.

From the rolling hills of the UK to the untamed beauty of New Zealand’s West Coast, Emma’s journey is threaded with curiosity, resilience and a deep love for the natural world. Now based in Reefton, she traces her love of running back to childhood cross-country races — a sport that captured her heart not for speed, but for the joy of getting muddy and being immersed in nature.

David is an emergency medicine doctor, runner, triathlete and endurance coach. There are not many trail races in New Zealand where he hasn't been on the podium or set a course record. Originally from a small island in the north of Scotland, David came to New Zealand back in 2016. After walking many of the trails, he found the joy of running them instead and it wasn’t long before he started signing up for trail running events.

It’s not unusual that the most amazing athletes are shaped by a tumultuous life, and Kimberley’s story shows how movement and exercise can spark a remarkable transformation and help find a new path forward. Growing up in an active family, she enjoyed swimming and playing netball from a young age, but life took her on a challenging path in her twenties.

Travis’ climbing journey began in high school with a trip to Froggatt Edge (now Waipari). What started as a simple adventure quickly grew into a lifelong passion. He got hooked on climbing, but it was the friendships, the trips, and the shared suffering on hard climbs that kept him coming back. In his own words, climbing just happens to be the glue that holds all of that together.

Growing up in West Auckland, Nancy spent her childhood exploring the Waitākere Ranges, where her love for running and the outdoors began. She ran track and cross country through school and dabbled in road marathons, but it wasn’t until a season in the French Alps that she discovered mountain running...

Growing up on two wheels, a football pitch, or even a dance floor, Luke has always been drawn to movement. Mountain biking was his first love, with podium finishes along the way, but when the spark began to fade, a new path emerged. What started as a
ground role in a landscaping and tree work company quickly turned into something more...

Being a ‘free range kid’ in the tiny coastal town of Waitati, just outside Dunedin, meant endless time outdoors and a steady rotation of sports for Jack. Trail running wasn’t part of the master plan. In fact, he stumbled into it by accident. While walking the Routeburn Track in 2017, he crossed paths with the Routeburn Classic. Watching athletes race that terrain blew his mind.

For Sophia, climbing started as a school summer sports option at Uprising in Christchurch.
What began as a fun way to spend an afternoon quickly became something much
bigger. Drawn to the problem solving, movement, and challenge of climbing, she
soon found herself spending every spare moment on the wall.

Coming from the West Coast of the South Island, Taye enjoyed exploring the trails of his daily surroundings, an area he now considers one of the most beautiful places in the world. Currently based in Rolleston, Christchurch, he finds solace in long, meditative runs, drawn by the purity and tranquillity of being out in the hills.

Hadani’s journey into running began in the most unexpected way. Once a self proclaimed “couch potato,” Hadani never imagined she would one day thrive on the challenge of ultra-endurance events. But a simple jog around a lake in 2020, encouraged by her sister, sparked a transformation that
would change her life....

Matt Ogden is a passionate orienteer and mountain runner based in the beautiful Nelson Tasman region. Originally from West Auckland, he discovered the outdoors early in life through orienteering and weekend adventures in Woodhill Forest and the Waitakere Ranges.

For Katie, running isn’t about racing define paths, as trails are one of her greatest joys. It’s about the feeling of both the leg burning, climbs that mountain running brings, and the deep satisfaction of looking up at a skyline and knowing her feet have felt those ridgelines. From the flat, muddy cross-country fields of South-East England to the rugged peaks of New Zealand...

From the forests of Canada to the peaks of Aotearoa, a love of the outdoors has always been part of Jess’s story. Raised camping, hiking, and playing every team sport she could, she initially saw running as just a way to stay fit during a life of travel. But everything changed in 2011 when she decided to spend a summer in New Zealand. Jess fell in love with the place and stayed.

Raised on Ben Mcleod Station in the high
country, Polly Taylor is a dynamic athlete and coach based in sunny Marlborough, at the top of New Zealand's South Island. After 26 years in the fashion industry with her own clothing label, she combined her love for the outdoors with her enthusiasm for adventure, embarking on travels that included following the Tour de France by bike and climbing in the French Alps....