Kathmandu Coast to Coast 2026

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This is one epic challenge that Jed (mountain run), Will (kayak) and Oscar (cycle) have ticked off, and we are so hugely proud of them! Here is Will and Jed's speech from Wednesday's Assembly:

Over the last weekend, Jed, Oscar and I represented the College at the Kathmandu Coast to Coast. This iconic race combines mountain running, cycling and kayaking to travel from one side of the country to the other. While simple in concept, finishing is a challenge in itself, with many competitors never reaching the New Brighton finish line. The flagship category is the Longest Day, where solo athletes complete the course in anywhere from 11 to 17 hours. As a team, we competed in the two-day, three-person event.

Our first day started early with me running off Greymouth’s sand before handing over to Oscar for his first major ride. Oscar made quick work of the course, riding to the front, challenging others to hold his wheel, and entering transition in first place. Jed’s run over Goat Pass had been changed to Plan B due to torrential rain, meaning a long, 31-kilometre gruelling route over riverbeds and the dreaded viaduct. Jed finished in a highly competitive 3 hours and 40 minutes, placing the team mid-table at the end of day one. By this point, 3 of the 14 teams had missed the cut-off times and were disqualified, displaying the harsh nature of the event.

Day two began with a 3:45 am wake-up. After a short bike and run, we reached the kayak transition. Will paddled the infamous Waimakariri River through grade 2+ water and, unlike many others, managed to stay in the boat. He finished the leg in 4 hours and 40 minutes. Having gained time on the field, Oscar mounted his bike for the final section of the race, a 70-kilometre ride into Christchurch, with him making up the fastest school’s time in this leg leading us to Christchurch where we finished together at New Brighton.

As a team, we placed 6th. While that wasn’t quite the result we had hoped for, we are proud of the effort we put in, not only over the two days of racing but throughout the months of training beforehand. The Coast to Coast pushed us physically and mentally, and it was an incredible experience to represent the college for its first time in such a demanding event.

We learned a lot about resilience, teamwork and backing each other under pressure, and those are things we will carry with us well beyond the race itself.