A discount code is offered to all Adventure subscribers in the EDM is WILDADVENTURE23
This will give a 20% discount off entry into any of the 5 events IF used before midnight on 31st August.
Five years in the making, The WILD has been a long-held dream of local trail and mountain running legend and lover of wild places, Mal Law. Having spent countless days and nights delighting his adventure-seeking soul among the sublime and extensive network of trails centred around Arrowtown, Mal was inspired to create an event to celebrate these truly epic mountain trails with like-minded adventurers. Five years of extremely hard graft later, a multi-day trail and mountain running festival is about to roar into existence – The WILD takes place in Arrowtown –New Zealand’s trail running Mecca – from December 6th – 10th.
A celebration of mountain adventures
With 5 epic backcountry adventures to choose from, the courses are challenging but achievable and there’s something for everyone. The WILD is a celebration of mountain adventures and everyone is welcome. Runners can choose to test their mettle over distances of 9 km, 11 km, 30 km, 64 km or 86 km. And for those who love the challenge that vertical ascent brings, the steep mountainous terrain of the gruntier course options promises plenty of vertical deliverance.
Epic comes in all shapes and sizes
Epic comes in all shapes and sizes, and every one of The WILD’s courses offers something challenging, unique and memorable. Each course navigates pristine, mountainous terrain and loops from and returns to the event hub in Arrowtown – a charming, historic gold mining town nestled beside the Arrow River. The WILD’s adventures will take runners on a spectacular journey, experiencing some of New Zealand’s most stunning mountain landscapes. For those new to the sport, to seasoned mountain ultra-running pros, The WILD extends a challenge, and the rewards are guaranteed to be high.
The WILD’s 3 main events:
The V5000 – 86 km
V is for vertical, and 86 km is for diehard mountain ultra runners! The V5000 is The WILD’s ultimate challenge. With 86 km and 5000 vertical metres of ascent through incredible mountain terrain, conquering this epic mountain adventure will be a journey to savour for a lifetime. For experienced runners and mountain adventurers, the V5000 is a demanding course, including some exclusive terrain that even locals may not know about. This event could take up to 24 hours to complete and adequate preparation is 100% required. Entrants will need to demonstrate their readiness for this epic challenge by applying for a ‘Warrant of Wildness’. The excitement levels for this event are off the scale!
The V3000 – 64 km
Described as ‘The Loop of Delight’ the V3000 is suited to runners who enjoy fast, flowing trails over mountainous terrain! Another epic, backcountry challenge that journeys through some truly unique and glorious Otago landscapes.
The V1600 – 30 km
This course is a real humdinger that will delight all trail runners with an appetite for adventure. Described as ‘one of the most beautiful and rewarding trail races on the planet,’ the V1600 is a potted version of its bigger siblings. With a wide array of terrain to tackle, runners will enjoy mellow beech forest, rugged, exposed ridgelines and some truly epic singletrack, exclusive to this course!
Attracting the world’s best
Far-reaching has been the appeal of The WILD, with entrants from all over the world. The WILD is especially stoked to have appealed to the women’s World No.1 ultra runner, Courtney Dauwalter. Courtney, who lives and trains in Colorado, will be vacationing in New Zealand and plans to run The WILD’s most challenging V5000 course (for fun!) with her husband, Kevin Schmidt. Participants will have the chance to witness greatness in action both out on the course and as part of the festival’s opening night. Hosted in Arrowtown’s Athenaeum Hall, ‘An Evening with Courtney’ will feature a fun, informal chat and Q&A session with Courtney and Kevin, hosted by Event Director, Mal Law.
Other keenly anticipated festival events include NZ’s only 2023 screening of Trail Running Film Festival, preceded by a talk from legendary Kiwi mountain runner, Anna Frost. The involvement of two of the best female trail runners on the planet adds a stratospheric layer of excitement to the upcoming event. The inspiration that will emanate from these legends of trail running will be immense.
Designed by runners for nature
The WILD is organised by The Wild For Nature Trust which was established by a group of Kiwi trail runners (including Mal), who are passionate about protecting the environment they love to run in, and who want to do their bit for nature. Proceeds from the event will help fund native habitat restoration work in and around the event courses. The WILD festival also includes an afternoon of wilding pine clearing, where participants can help local group, Arrowtown Choppers, clear some of this invasive species from trails close to Arrowtown.
Are you ready for a WILD adventure?
So has all this talk of The WILD stoked your passion to be part of it? If an adventure of a lifetime in the backcountry bliss of the Arrowtown mountains sounds like a bit of you, check out the full list of events on The WILD website and enter your epic challenge!
A discount code is offered to all Adventure subscribers in the EDM is WILDADVENTURE23
This will give a 20% discount off entry into any of the 5 events IF used before midnight on 31st August.
