THE AGREEMENTS
By taking part in the Tour Te Waipounamu you agree to:
DO IT YOURSELF.
This means no support crews, no stashing of supplies/equipment.
Any pre-arranged gear/ food drop must be at a commercial enterprise or post office that is equally available to all and normally offers the service to the public.
RIDE THE ROUTE UNDER YOUR OWN STEAM
Not seek or gain assistance from other riders, including drafting. It's ok to ride with others for periods of time, but don't make a habit of it. Take full responsibility for your own safety and well-being. If you need assistance, organise it yourself - you need to have the means (knowledge, tools, spares etc) and ability to solve your issues as they arise. If there is a medical situation riders are expected to help each other. If there is a question of safety, like river crossing or bad weather over a pass, team up for sure.
FOLLOW THE COURSE
Follow 100% of the course as defined by the gpx file and the course notes. If you leave the course you must rejoin it where you left. Failure to follow the route for any advantageous distance (intentionally or unintentionally) will result in your tracker being marked as "off route" and a DNF.
The course has been chosen to mitigate effects of adverse weather conditions where possible. Often there are huts in useful places to sit out storms or wait for river levels to drop.
RIDE SOLO OR AS A TEAM
Teams of riders are allowed. Teams can share equipment and assist each other, including drafting. A team will be assigned a finish time if all riders finish. If one rider fails to finish, the team will be classified as Unranked. Don't set off with the intention to ride the course “solo” with your mate(s). If you want to do that, be in a team
CARRY A TRACKER
Due to the superior reliability of their tracking, Spot trackers are the preferred tracking device. Garmin tracking services have a history of “dropping out” for periods of time in longer events. However, Spot trackers are poor for emergency situations in NZ latitudes and a Garmin Inreach relies on rechargeable batteries, so neither are 100% reliable in an emergency situation. Therefore, if you are concerned about emergency communications, carrying a dedicated PLB is a good idea.
PURCHASE A BACKCOUNTRY HUT PASS & COMPLY WITH THE LAW OF THE LAND
The route passes many Department of Conservation (DOC) huts. Your entry fee is to purchase/ have a current hut pass and have it with you on the ride. Of course you need to observe all rules laid down by landowners and managers: no camping/ overnighting on private land except where expressly allowed, bury all toilet waste, take all rubbish with you and shut gates! This also means not accessing private property that you not have permission for (eg private huts, barns etc). Remember too, obey the road rules and that roads are open to the public at all times.
TURN UP READY TO RACE
Beat the snail down the island and complete the route within 10 days, by Wednesday at 7am, 4 February 2026. You must attend the briefing on Saturday 24 January at 5pm, prior to the start at 7am, 25 January, 2026 at Cape Farewell, Golden Bay.
RACE
This is a race and in the interests of fair competition there are rules. By entering the Tour Te Waipounamu you are accepting all aspects of the challenge and are accepting sole responsibility for your own safety. Failure to comply with the rules may put the event in jeopardy, and will result in disqualification.