Cross Creek trail tests endurance

Nearly 200 people from around the country and possibly the world are testing their endurance today with the annual marathon between Cross Creek and Petone.

Eight people, including Masterton man Graeme Butcher from Athletics Masterton, will take on the Ultramarathon, a 60km trek from Cross Creek near Featherston passing through Te Marua, Maymorn, the Hutt Valley and ending at the Petone foreshore.

Wairarapa organiser Ray Wallis said the trail was mostly off road, and "goes places people wouldn't normally go".

"It's a bit of an unusual event, it's a totally different sort of event, there's nothing else like it around as far as I know. Last year we even had one Australian and one Japanese person in the ultramarathon.

"The ultramarathon group isn't a big group, but it's a very fit group of people and they all look after each other. If anyone has any trouble, there's always someone there to help them out. We've never had anyone not finish the ultramarathon."

About 40 people are taking on the standard marathon from Te Marua, while 100 people will do the half-marathon and 40 will do the 10km.

This year, the event has been renamed the Ian Priest Memorial, a tribute to the man who started it six years ago. "Ian had a dream to start this event and it took many years for him to do it, but six years ago he finally made it happen and unfortunately he died last year, so there is a memorial side to it this year and we hope to keep the event going for him."