Kiwi multisport's most enduring race - the Coast to Coast - is undergoing a major renaissance, with organisers revealing to Newshub that next year's event is already sold out.
After poor numbers just a few years ago, there's now a waiting list for those still wanting to run, bike and kayak their way across the South Island.
In just his second year as race director, Glen Currie never envisaged this - that the 2020 Coast to Coast would be a sell-out, nine months out from race day.
"What it means is that we will have 1100 competitors, come February... it will the largest ever," Currie told Newshub.
And the unprecedented demand started as soon as entries opened.
"Our sales for that first two weeks week was 80-90 percent on the same time the previous year," Currie noted.
One of those quick off the mark was first timer and Methven police officer Mike Seque.
"I did the support crew last year and off that, I got hooked on it a little bit," Seque told Newshub.
The demand is reminiscent of the 1990s, when aspiring Coast to Coast athletes would post their entries to founder and then-race director Robin Judkins.
But in post-earthquake Christchurch, the event lost its lustre.
"In 2014, there were around 450 people on the start line, so for the turnaround is quite incredible," Currie said.
In 2013, Judkins sold the event to its current owners, Queenstown-based Trojan Holdings, and then major changes were made under five-time champion Richard Ussher.
Glen Currie was also a competitor, before he took over as race director, while brother Braden is a three-time champion.
Next year will be the 38th Coast to Coast - its future is much brighter than it was just a few years ago
Newshub.
