Contact Epic (Lake Hāwea)
20 March 2027 · Lake Hāwea (Wānaka) · New Zealand
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Mountain bike race around Lake Hāwea on the edge of the Southern Alps, held since 2008. The Epic course (approx. 125 km, 2,400 m) circles the lake and, by special permission, crosses the Hunter Valley and Dingleburn high-country stations, with river and stream crossings, steep climbs and very little signage. There are also the Classic (95 km) and the shorter Dingle Dash (63 km), both open to e-bikes.
- Participation
- Open to all
- Category
- MTB Marathon
- Distances
- 125 / 95 / 63 km
- Elevation
- 2,400 / 2,120 / 700 m
- Entry fee
- NZ$119–259 (early bird until 31 Dec)
- Registration
- Registration open
- Categories
- Men & Women
- Country
- New Zealand
About the event
The Contact Epic has been held since 2008 and circumnavigates Lake Hāwea, New Zealand's ninth-largest lake. The course crosses two private high-country stations, Hunter Valley and Dingleburn Station, which may only be ridden on this one day with the landowners' permission. Today the event is led by three-time winner Dougal Allan and a local team.
The organiser sees the race more as an adventure: the course is only sparingly signposted, there are no bike checks and no mandatory gear list, and personal responsibility is part of the concept. Riders tackle 4WD tracks, gravel and rocky sections and cross creeks and the Hunter River. The Epic begins at 7:30 am with a controlled mass start at the Community Centre in Lake Hāwea and first follows State Highway 6 for 23 km; it is the only course with prize money, and e-bikes are not allowed. The Classic starts at Kidds Bush Reserve. The Dingle Dash runs along the eastern shore to Dingleburn Station and back; riders who have not averaged about 12 km/h by around 22 km are turned around before the narrow bluffs section. At the Dingleburn Station aid station there are tea and scones, and e-bike riders can have a second battery left there.
If the Hunter River cannot be crossed, an alternative course with turnaround points on the Dingleburn side applies.
Social media & Strava
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Sources
- The Contact Epic: Official website (2026-10)
- The Contact Epic: Courses (2026-10)
- The Contact Epic: Pricing (2026-10)
- The Contact Epic: About (2026-10)
- eventplus: Lake Hawea Epic 2027 (2026-10)
Checked: Website + eventplus: Sa 20.03.2027, Anmeldung offen, Strecken und Preise, 10/2026