Routeburn Classic, Mountain running competition on Routeburn Track, New Zealand

The Routeburn Classic is a mountain running competition that spans 32 kilometers along a famous hiking track in New Zealand. The route passes through two national parks and climbs 1,127 meters through native forests and alpine environments.

First held in 2001, the Routeburn Classic is an annual 32 km mountain run over the entire Routeburn Track, from the Divide to the Routeburn Shelter. The 2016 edition was postponed to the Sunday because of adverse weather, and the 2018 race was delayed by snow and then cancelled due to dangerous track conditions.

The race connects people with New Zealand's natural heritage as they move through protected landscapes of Fiordland National Park, part of a World Heritage Area. Participants experience the land in a way that many locals value and protect for future generations.

Numbers are capped at about 350 to limit impact on the Routeburn Track, a Great Walk managed by the Department of Conservation. The race starts at the Divide at 8 am on a road closed to traffic, so runners spread out before the narrow sections. Marshals are posted at key points to account for every runner and assist anyone injured.

The race starts at the Divide on a main road closed to traffic, letting the field spread out before the narrow track. The limit is about 350 runners, not 400, to reduce impact on a Great Walk looked after by the Department of Conservation. The fastest finish in under three hours contrasts with the three days most trampers take.