The fourth leg of the Rotorua Ekiden is the longest… just. This part of the course is mostly rural, running alongside State Highway 33 (which becomes SH30). There is a good sized shoulder most of the way but you should be careful the closer you get to town as traffic will increase later in the day. This leg starts out flat on Hamurana Road, running directly away from the lake.
A right turn takes you onto the state highway and at 1km in, you hit the bridge over the Ohau Channel – the waterway between Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti. From there, the course climbs to 3kms in and then drops back down. The last 5km to the airport are flat.
IMPORTANT GUIDELINES FOR CHANGEOVER POINTS
It is your responsibility to take the upmost care of yourself and those around you. While the changeover points are a lot of fun, you must adhere to the following guidelines:
- Team drivers MUST enter, park and exit the changeover vicinity slowly and safely. Concentrate on the road and those around you, not the event.
- Team members, watch out for other cars when you exit or enter your vehicle – you are not bulletproof!
| Leg | Distance | Locations | Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 | 7.50 | Novotel Rotorua Lakeside to Ngongotaha Domain | Flat |
| Leg 2 | 7.88 | Ngongotaha Domain to Hamurana | Rolling hills |
| Leg 3 | 8.43 | Hamurana to Marama Resort | Long flats, some steep hills |
| Leg 4 | 9.27 | Marama Resort to Airport | Long flats, some hills |
| Leg 5 | 3.24 | Airport to Puketawhero Park | Flat |
| Leg 6 | 5.88 | Puketawhero Park to Rotorua Village Green | Flat |
