Looking for a feel-good distraction from world events? Then check out the new MAGNIficent adventure race kicking off this Sunday in New Zealand.
The MAGNIficent Race, named for race directors and twin brothers Andrew and Jason Magness, will see 34 teams competing to finish a brutal course traversing more than 300 miles of the country’s rugged terrain. Spread across eight stages and with over 52,000 feet of elevation gain, the race will pit participants against a wide variety of challenges, including hiking, mountain biking, top-rope rock climbing, and whitewater packrafting.
Moreover, the teams must rely on their own navigation and finish the course unsupported. Outside of severe medical emergencies, racers will have to take care of their own medical care. They’ll also choose when to sleep, what to carry, and how to move through the daunting New Zealand wilderness.
Race organizers said they expect the course to take at least 104 hours of travel time. They note that that estimate doesn’t account for sleep or bad weather.
“The one thing that will be consistent in this event is the mind-blowing scenery and wilderness settings that the teams will move through,” Jason Magness said. “Nearly every leg would be the crown jewel stage of most events!”
The MAGNIficent Race: Details
So far, the race has attracted 34 teams. With 25 teams coming from New Zealand, many competitors will enjoy a “home-court advantage,” so to speak. Of the remaining nine teams, three hail from the USA, along with two each from Canada and Japan, and one each from South Africa and Ireland.
Team Bend Racing is currently the top-ranked team, and they are joined for the first time by experienced U.S. racer Mari Chandler. The team is also led by Jason Magness, who co-created the MAGNificent Race with his twin brother Andy.
Nicknamed the “Magni twins,” the brothers have many years of combined experience planning big adventures for themselves and others. As racers, they’ve competed in well over 100 ultra-endurance events, according to a press release from the Adventure Racing World Series. As race directors, they’ve separately designed over 100 adventure races in North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and New Zealand.
But the two brothers have never worked together until now. They wanted to fill the gap in adventure racing created by the loss of GODZone, a New Zealand race that lasted for 10 years until organizers canceled it in 2023 over permitting issues with the government. GODZone was considered one of the world’s toughest races. The Magness brothers wanted something similar.
“There is a long, mountainous packraft trek, a giant bike leg with a short but huge (feeling) hike-a-bike that ends with perhaps the longest continuous singletrack descent in the sport’s history. There’s also a bike-rafting section with lots of choices of how to approach it,” Jason Magness said.
With big stages involving multiple disciplines, the race aims for an old-school, self-supported expedition approach, according to Jason Magness.
“The crux of the event will be a 24+ hour trek with so much mountain travel and so many route options that it will reward teams with real expedition experience.”
How to Follow the Race
The new expedition race will take place from January 25 to February 2. It begins in the town of Lumsden on the South Island. After Magness’s Bend Racing team, another team hoping to dominate the event is FEAR Youth. The young New Zealand squad was mentored by Andy Magness. They’ve pulled off several impressive victories in other races around the world.
“FEAR Society [Youth’s] racing experience will be an advantage,” Andy Magness said. “And Mixed Nuts and Nutrient Rescue are the two standout teams, who will, at least on their home turf, be hard to beat.”
With a professional media team on hand during the event, spectators can follow the event through videos and photos on social media. Check out the Instagram accounts for the AR World Series and The MAGNIficent for updates throughout the race.
