🏃🏃♀️Hunua Hillbilly Results
“Like a salmon caught on the line. Luckily nobody around but it would of made a great video clip”
Your weekly fix of NZ trail running news
We’re the Hillbilly of the NZ trail running world—your mother, sister, and cousin all rolled into one!😂 (Results, News & Entertainment)
Here’s what’s in the drop bag this week:
🏁Upcoming events: Northburn 100
⛰️💊Mountain Skag of February Winner & The Week
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Hunua Hillbilly - Aucklandish
Saturday, March 15
There was no Hunua Hillbilly in 2024, with Total Sport downsizing and passing it on to Trail Events NZ.
Well, it was worth waiting! The event has gone from 69 entrants in 2023 to 324 across 3 distances in 2025. Has there ever been so many Vibram 7 fingers in one place?🤔
📏60KM | ⛰️3270M
Men’s podium:
🥇Stefan Pequito de Almeida - 7:48:04
🥈Eli Ewens - 7:54:49
🥉Troy Field - 8:04:43
Troy Field led out strong, looking to become the 1st person to win the Hillbilly (🥇7:11:54 - 2022) twice. Through the 22km checkpoint, he had already created a 9-minute gap over Stefan Almedia with Wardy Ward-Smith 3 minutes further back.
Field held the lead through the next 20km, but the engine light was beginning to flash, and there was a weird humming noise coming from the exhaust. Almeida had cut Field’s lead to 3m35s and Eli Ewens(🥉2023) had moved up into third.
Field’s landing gear was stuck, and Almeida took full advantage - not only moving past Field but piling on 16 minutes over the final 18km stretch to take the victory, only 4 weeks from a disappointing DNF at Tarawera.
Ewens couldn’t match Almeida, crossing the line 6 minutes back but 10 minutes clear of Field, who got home for the bronze.
Stefan Pequito de Almeida was kind enough to take the time to fill us in on his race.
How did your race go?
“The race went really well. It was a race that I hadn't planned on running 4 weeks ago, because at that time I was in the 100km Tarawera race, but unfortunately I got injured at 65km and had to abandon the race at 73km.”
“After two or three days of depression, I saw an ad on Instagram and took a chance. Little did I know how hard it was going to be, lol. The humidity and high temperature made me get cramps after the first 30km, which made me slow down, but in the end I was lucky.”
What were your impressions of the course?
“The race was fantastic, a pleasant surprise. I'm from Portugal and we have some tough, technical races. I've run in Spain and Italy, but nothing like this in terms of technique.”
“The race was well planned, the supplies had everything the athletes needed, from good mood to nutrition. Points to improve from my point of view, at the end having something to eat like fruit is the only less positive thing I have to point out, another point I miss the races here in New Zealand not having Itra scores so we can see our ev”
Thanks for that, Stefan. Less humidity, more Watermelon - I’m with you on that!
Women’s podium:
🥇Sonya King - 10:40:41
🥈Shelly Hughes - 11:05:59
🥉Stacey Chait - 11:29:47
Sonya King is one tough critter, Boot-Scootin’ her way to an 8-minute lead over Shelly Hughes & Stacey Chait through the first 22km.
King proved to be the best Swamp Stomper’, slinging her way through the mud to run into the next pig pen(42km) 24 minutes clear of Chait.
Hughes moved back past Chait, who was now Tuckered Out, but no amount of Hillbilly Hustle would close the gap over the final 18km.
King passed through the gates, 25 minutes ahead of Hughes who took the silver, with Chait taking the bronze.
📏42KM | ⛰️1890M
Women’s podium:
🥇Phoebe Trolove - 5:59:48
🥈Caitlin Knox - 6:06:52
🥉Kate Lewis - 6:17:01
Phoebe Trolove took out an absolute barn burner in the inaugural Hillbilly Marathon.
She trailed Roisin McQuillan through 24km, but she must have mixed in some moonshine with her tailwind because she hit the afterburners, scampering into the lead and never looking back.
Caitlin Knox and Kate Lewis kept the chase alive, but Trolove held on to be the first name carved into the Marathon trophy.
Here is what Phoebe had to say about her experience:
It looked like a tight race upfront- how did the race play out?
“I would say it was a bit hard to gauge where everyone was, which meant that I just had to keep pushing constantly. There wasn’t really room to back off or get comfortable which obviously is a pretty unsettling feeling. I didn’t actually plan to race it hard, but it’s just how things kinda panned out!”
What were your impressions of the new marathon course?
“It was epic. But I also say that in hindsight because I know I was hurting a lot in the last 10k.”
“There was the most amazing supporters at the checkpoints and aid stations, and it was such an organised event. Super well marked track with some pretty gnarly climbs, but the vibes and views were top notch!”
Men’s podium:
🥇Cullen Rhind - 4:29:35
🥈Hayden Ballantyne - 4:53:21
🥉Stefan Ozich - 4:58:15
2023 Hillbilly of The Year, Cullen ‘On The Grind’ Rhind, brought home the facon, trotting away from Hayden Ballantyne & Stefan Ozich.
He led by 2 minutes through 24km but then went Full Boar, chopping his way through the back half of the course, and took the win by over 13 minutes.
Here’s what Cullen had to say:
How did the race play out at the front?
“Stefan Ozick, Hayden Ballantyne and I all had turns at the front over the first 15ish km’s before I broke away and managed to get a gap on the others.”
How does the new marathon course compare to the 60k?
“The marathon is a tough race but skips the toughest part of the 60km course. The 60km race is perfect for anyone that is a sucker for punishment!!”
Thanks for that, Cullen - all the best for the year ahead
It’s always good to hear from those not duking it out for the podium as well. TRNZ roving reporter, Richard Saint made the big trip up from Otaaaaaagooooo to get his North Island Boring Bush fix - here’s what he thought of the event.
How was your day?
“I got 12th spot. 3rd in my age group. Pretty stoked with it so soon after shotover. It was a big day, the course is brutal but so good!!!”
“A decent mixture of everything so yeah, bloody good. Took a few tumbles, one was epic. Like a salmon caught on the line. Luckily nobody around but sh!t it would of made a great video clip😂😂😂”
“The event has everything and the set up there was second to non. Aid stations were perfect.”
How did the terrain compare to what you’re used to?
“Pretty dense bush there, not a lot of that kind of trail down our way and although it had vert it was more smaller rooty climbs or steps.”
“It was a killer day, absolutely loved it. Trails were mint. Legs are battered today…. So yeah, mint!!!”
Click here for the full results, including the 22km race.
Check out their Instagram & Facebook for more coverage.
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Things You May Have Missed
The Naseby Of The Winterless North
His & Her Events have announced their new race, the Northland 100, which will take place on July 18th in Glenbervie Forest, just north of Whangarei.
There will be a 100 mile, 100km, 85km & 55km option, comprised of various sized loops—more details will be released in the coming weeks.
Ryan Carr Hacked
Last week, I posted about Ryan Carr questioning Athletics NZ’s decision regarding the World Champs qualifier at Cardrona. Two days later, he started spamming about his amazing Bitcoin investment.
I can’t decide if this is a hit job from the big wigs at Athlettuce NZ or if Ryan has started fundraising for his trip to the World Champs in Spain🤣.
Old Ghost Road Teaser
Old Ghost Ultra consistently have the best race coverage in the country. Check out this little teaser from Katalyst Media - if this doesn’t get you excited to run OGU, nothing will.
The Hardest Geezer Is Underway
Russ Cook, AKA The Hardest Geezer, has begun his South to North TA. He’s famous for being the first person to run the length of Africa. He’s aiming for around 50 days, which, pre-Sabbe, would have looked like a really tidy time.
Mission Desk
This week on the Mission Desk, we’ve got a preview of Anthony Grant’s upcoming attempt at his self-made mountain miler this coming Saturday, the 22nd.
We will recap how it all went in the coming weeks.
What is the 30-second elevator description of your mission?
“Starting in Queenstown central at 4am, i’ll be following a 166km route all the way to finish on the Wanaka waterfront, connecting some of the most iconic peaks along the way in one big day (and a bit?).”
“These peaks will include Ben Lomond, Coronet Peak, Brow Peak, Crown Peak, Rock Peak, Mount Pisa, Mount Alpha and Roys Peak, to bring the total vertical gain to be about 8700m across the 166km.”
How long have you been planning it?
“I’ve been planning it for about 6 months. I wrapped up my last 100miler in April, and after a few months, I had the classic itch and started hunting for the next thing.”
“I knew I wanted to try something different than the classic ‘race’, and had started running all the different parts realising they were all connected. A couple of weeks later the idea was born.”
Have you got a cool name for the route yet?
“I’m officially (unofficially) calling it the ‘8 peaks’ as it bags 8 major peaks in one go. I also had ‘Queenstown to Wanaka Skyline Ultra’. Turns out naming things isn’t one of my strengths - I think I’ll stick to the running part.”
How much of the route have you run?
“Over the past 3 months I’ve made an effort to run every section in chunks to make sure I don’t do anything stupid on the day like miss a turn and lets me plan access points etc. The crux is the first 80km with the most elevation, exposure, heat and periods without support.”
Is it all on public land, or do you have permission?
“The crazy thing about this is that it’s 99% public land and tracks. This is what I think makes it so ridiculously cool. I’ve got the green light for a very small section that isn’t (about 2-3km). Otherwise, any of you could do it tomorrow if you wanted to.”
How many PB&J Sandwiches do you plan to consume?
I consider anything below 15 a failure. Aiming for at least 20, 25 on a good day. Also, strictly smooth with raspberry jam (any other combination is a criminal offence).
What part is making you pee a little thinking about next weekend?
“The 39km section in the middle of the night on top of the Pisa range (including Mount Pisa), after ~100km of running and 6500m of vert already, with no access points for support.”
“If sh*t hits the fan, it’ll be cold, exposed and I’ve got to get myself out. That and the Roys Peak descent with what I expect to be absolutely destroyed quads.”
Anything else you want to tell the 10 people who haven’t scrolled past after reading the first 2 questions?
“You likely got here because it interests you (even slightly). This is your sign to go out there and give this route (or something similarly stupid) a go. I expect the mission won’t even be the coolest part, it’s the training that took me on the most wild ride of self-discovery, adventures, challenges and so on.”
All the best for your big adventure Ants. May the weather gods be on your side.
You can follow him on Instagram HERE.
SK News Desk
Last week, we had our first new sub 24 Main Range of the season.
This week, we have 2 entries into the SK Valleys log book.
🦅Paul Bird - 16:28
☘️Matt & Albert O’Reilly - 22:00:09
It’s not often that someone 5.5 hours slower steals the headline BUT -
Albert O’Reilly is only 14!
He’s now the youngest known person to complete an SK. I think the only thing I had done 22 hours straight when I was 14 was sleep. What an awesome experience for a Father and Son to share.
Where will this race to be the youngest end …
…probably with missing man Tom Phillips and his kids being arrested in the Car park of Glory after claiming the FKT🤣.
This information is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered financial mission advice. Please consult a licensed financial backcountry professional for personalized guidance tailored to your specific situation.
Upcoming Events
Northburn, Cromwell
Saturday, March 22
Northburn. Where suffering is the prize, and everyone’s a winner.
Traditionally known as NZ’s toughest 100-mile race.
The place where Tarawera medals go to die.
I’ve never set foot on Northburn Station, but everyone I know who runs it sticks to the company line.
It’s either costing Terry Davis thousands a year to keep the ruse going, or it truly is that hard.
Add to that the official course description:
“Dry, hard, rocky course mostly running on high country 4WD tracks, including some short sections of fence lines and sheep tracks. The weather is changeable, and you’re completely exposed. If it’s hot, it’s F🤬🤬king hot. If it’s cold, it’s F🤬🤬king cold.”
If you haven’t been put off yet, here are the 3 main races:
📏50KM🥵 | ⛰️2600M
📏100KM🥵🥵| ⛰️⛰️6350M
📏161KM🥵🥵🥵 | ⛰️⛰️⛰️10,000M
Check out the elevation profile of just the 50km 🤢
My North Korean hackers have let me down, and I haven’t been able to crack the Northburn mainframe to look at the starting lists.
However, my antenna has been fully erect, and here are some things I’ll be watching for:
Jean Beaumont has won this race more than most people have run 100 miles. She describes herself as a LOL (Little old lady), but don’t be fooled—she will rip your legs off. Can this little old lady win yet another Northburn title?
Hazel Harrison will run her sixth Mile in the last 12 months, the final race of her ‘6 for 60’ challenge. While some people go on a river cruise, Hazel runs Milers.
Andrew McDowall is also looking to increase his Hardrock lottery chances, running his 8th Northburn, so he should be up to a 1.678% chance of getting in.
Kyle Malone, winner of the inaugural ‘The Spectacle’ Miler, is heading South. He will be in with a sniff of the podium, and it will be interesting to get his take on what course he thinks packs the biggest punch.
Maggie Forsyth blitzed the Naseby 100 Miler last year in under 20 hours in her first ever miler - can she put it all together to show she can do it in the mountains as well on the flat stuff?
Click here for more details on Northburn. Follow along on … actually, their socials look dead.
#Mountain Skag February Winner
Congratulations, Olivia Lawrence - Free sh💩t coming your way
#Mountain Skag Pic Of The Week
As promised - 2 winners this week going into the vote for March
First up, Pete Robinson - he knows I’m a sucker for a knob …
“Above Gertrude saddle on the way to Barrier Knob.”
Billy The Kid is back 2 weeks in a row with this rip-snorter.
“Blue Steel meets Mountain Skag - Mount Bealey - Avalanche Peak traverse, Arthur’s Pass.”
Tag @trailrunning.nz (NOTE THE “.”) and use #mountainskag, DM on Instagram, or email trailrunningnz@gmail.com to enter.
Every entry has a chance to win the monthly giveaway of a Mountain Skag T-shirt or hat.
Next week, we will have results from Northburn and whatever else stops my doom scrolling.
It takes hours to write this newsletter but only 8 seconds to forward it to a friend.
PS. What should Ants call his 8 Peak Mountain Miler?