challenges

Whakapapa Ski Field

COMING IN 2026

dash challenge

Ascend the Waterfalls Descent Track.
Descend on the Sky Waka Gondola.

Individual entrants have one shot at recording the fastest time to scale the 400m of mountain elevation, on the 2.5km course.

pricing

Pricing information to be confirmed.

registration
No Saturday registration.
Friday evening pre event registration between 5.15pm and 7.15pm is compulsory for all Sky Waka Vertical Challenge entrants. There is no opportunity for pre event registration on race day.
minimum age
Entrants must be 16 years on event day unless an exemption (based on previous performances) is granted by the Race Management team.
compulsory gear
Information coming soon.
entry qualification
This event is a beast and you must be fully prepared to take on this distance and level of elevation change, high up in the mountains. Our safety management plan is comprehensive and is resourced to respond to both well prepared entrants ‘having a bad day’ and the usual spills an event like this could have. It is however critical that underprepared entrants in any specific distance are shifted to an alternate distance – one in which they feel fully prepared to meet the challenge ahead. There is no prerequisite qualifying time for the Sky Waka Vertical Challenge events as such (that may come in future years) but you will be asked to submit answers to some simple questions about your event history during the online registration process.
In accordance with our Safety Management documentation and upon reviewing your supplied information, our course team reserves the right to request additional/updated information or evidence of preparedness from you, and/or downgrade your entry to a shorter distance. Appropriate refunds will be made in these scenarios.
tracks and terrain used
All entrants start the event outside the Sky Waka gondola platform at the top of Bruce Road. They then run approx 100m down Bruce Road, turn anti clockwise around the roundabout, before heading 100m back up Bruce Road. Entrants then follow the Waterfalls Descent Track right up to the entry point of the Sky Waka Gondola at Knoll Ridge. Once back down, another loop begins by heading down Bruce Road towards the roundabout.
course cut-off times
Vertical Dash entrants must complete the 2.5km course and reach the Sky Waka Gondola at Knoll Ridge within 1 hour after the start gun goes off for their wave.

endurance challenge

4 hours

This is an event that puts individuals, pairs, and teams of 3 on a mountain mission to ‘knock off’ as much mountain elevation as possible by completing multiple laps in the allocated time of 4 hours.

Participants will ascend the Waterfalls Descent Track, and descend on the Sky Waka Gondola back to the event base/transition area.
The event course is a sky-running beast and a well-marked 2.5km loop course. The lowest elevation point on the loop is 1610m (Bruce Road roundabout), and the highest elevation point is 2010m (top of the Sky Waka).

Each lap completed sees 400m of mountain elevation added to your score.

Every 100m of climbing absolutely counts. Timing mats will be placed at the 100m, 200m, 300m, and 400m marks on the loop, so every time a timing mat is crossed, your score increases by 100m!

When the course cut-off time is reached, the winners of each respective category will be the individuals, pairs, or teams of 3 with the highest score (which is essentially the total elevation metres banked).

category options

Individuals

Leave nothing in the tank. Climb up > Sky Waka down > Climb up > Sky Waka down > rinse and repeat.

Pairs

You must stay together at all times. Rest when you need, punish yourself at all other times.

Teams of 3

A touch more social with a strategic edge. Only 2 team members can be on the event course at any one time – 1 team member must remain at the event base at all times. Who tags who? What pace do team members run? Well, that’s all up to you.

pricing

Pricing information to be confirmed.

team details
Your 2 or 3-person team can be mixed, male, or female – you choose.
The age category for your team will be based on your oldest team member.
registration
No Saturday registration.
Friday evening pre event registration between 5.15pm and 7.15pm is compulsory for all Sky Waka Vertical Challenge entrants. There is no opportunity for pre event registration on race day.
minimum age
Entrants must be 16 years on event day unless an exemption (based on previous performances) is granted by the Race Management team.
compulsory gear
Information coming soon.
entry qualification
This event is a beast and you must be fully prepared to take on this distance and level of elevation change, high up in the mountains. Our safety management plan is comprehensive and is resourced to respond to both well prepared entrants ‘having a bad day’ and the usual spills an event like this could have. It is however critical that underprepared entrants in any specific distance are shifted to an alternate distance – one in which they feel fully prepared to meet the challenge ahead. There is no prerequisite qualifying time for the Sky Waka Vertical Challenge events as such (that may come in future years) but you will be asked to submit answers to some simple questions about your event history during the online registration process.
In accordance with our Safety Management documentation and upon reviewing your supplied information, our course team reserves the right to request additional/updated information or evidence of preparedness from you, and/or downgrade your entry to a shorter distance. Appropriate refunds will be made in these scenarios.
tracks and terrain used
All entrants start the event outside the Sky Waka gondola platform at the top of Bruce Road. They then run approx 100m down Bruce Road, turn anti clockwise around the roundabout, before heading 100m back up Bruce Road. Entrants then follow the Waterfalls Descent Track right up to the entry point of the Sky Waka Gondola at Knoll Ridge. Once back down, another loop begins by heading down Bruce Road towards the roundabout.
course cut-off times
All Sky Waka Vertical Challenge – Endurance Entrants have 4 hours on course after the start gun goes off for their wave. Depending on the course location of entrants once the 4 hours is complete will determine how entrants need to make their own way back to event base (more information on this coming soon).