Back in the early 1990’s trail running was in its infancy with the amount of events happening in New Zealand being able to be counted on a few fingers.
A few athletes were beginning to question their allegiance to tarmac and time keeping.
Averil and Graeme West had had enough of marathons along the bitumen and sitting in Nelson’s Chez Eelco Coffee Bar one Sunday 1993 morning,along with Marie Lenting plus Joanne & Greg Fraine, the 350 Year Celebration banner of Abel Janszoon Tasman was spotted hanging on the Dutch proprietor’s wall.
That was enough to spark off an inspiration and from there the beginnings of one of the nation’s most popular trail runs began....
